Hugo Ekitike has said he is willing to adjust his position to accommodate incoming striker Alexander Isak. Ekitike, who has had an impressive start at Anfield scoring in the Community Shield and the first two Premier League matches of the season, was initially brought in as the central figure in Liverpool's attack.
The French forward cost a whopping £79million to acquire from Eintracht Frankfurt. However, with the unexpected availability of Isak, who expressed his desire to leave Newcastle, Liverpool are set to break the British-record fee to secure him, leaving them with two high-priced players vying for the same spot.
Despite this, Ekitike has openly admitted that he is prepared to diversify his role for the benefit of the team, potentially relinquishing his position as the main striker. In a recent interview, he said: "I mean, I do what the coach asks me to do, but yeah, I like to do everything.
"I can't define myself only as a striker (who likes) to finish: I like to play, I like to be in the game, in the collective part of play (and) create also. So, I can do both – I can play alone and I like to play also with another striker and I think that's what makes me versatile, but you know now in football you need to adapt."
It's unclear how Arne Slot plans to utilise Isak and Ekitike in his attacking line-up - or if one of them will have to accept a reduced role. Mohamed Salah has a firm hold on the right wing, while Florian Wirtz has been brought in to play as an attacking midfielder, making it unlikely that Liverpool will field two strikers.
Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher voiced concerns about Liverpool potentially having a back-up striker worth nearly £80m. He suggested that the impending arrival of Isak could relegate Ekitike to a secondary role, a prospect he finds unsettling.
Speaking on The Overlap, he said: "From a fan's point of view for myself, I don't want Liverpool to spend £150 million on Isak. There's something about Liverpool buying another striker [Hugo Ekitike], and he's backup. Something about it doesn't feel right to me."
The Reds have enjoyed a stellar start to the season as they remain the only club this season to win their opening three league games. Should Isak complete his move today, his debut could come in Liverpool's away trip to Burnley later this month while his first home game would see him compete in his first Merseyside derby.