Hugo Ekitike’s natural pace and ability on the ball have made him one of the most lethal strikers in England this season.
The Frenchman has already matched a Kenny Dalglish record since moving to Anfield and has been compared to ex-Reds star Fernando Torres.
Now, Arne Slot has highlighted how Ekitike’s combination of ‘incredible pace’ and ‘great technique’ make him a unique player.
PROVE ME WRONG: Hugo Ekitike WILL have a better Liverpool career than Luis Suarez
Luis Suarez prior to Nashville SC v Inter Miami CF - 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs. Hugo Ekitike celebrates after scoring for Liverpool during their UEFA Champions League match against Qarabag at Anfield.
Credit: Johnnie Izquierdo/Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Arne Slot says few players have pace and technique like Hugo Ekitike
Liverpool were in FA Cup action against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday evening, looking to avoid a second defeat at the hands of Rob Edwards’ side in the space of a week.
Ahead of that tie, during the live coverage from TNT Sport, Slot was shown being interviewed by Owen Hargreaves when he was asked about Ekitike.
He explained that the 23-year-old is a rare breed because of the two aforementioned traits, saying not many players possess both qualities.
The Dutchman stated: “You don’t see many players that are having such a great technique and combine that with incredible pace.”
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Slot has stressed the importance of having pace in his forward line previously, mentioning how Ekitike brought that to the club when he joined from Eintracht Frankfurt in the summer.
He said: “As we can all see, he’s [Ekitike] a good finisher, he’s very comfortable on the ball. But what stands out for me is he belongs to the fastest players we have.
“That was one of the things I wanted to add to this team – incredible pace. Because I see many of the top teams have one, two, three individuals that have pace that is exceptional.”
The fastest players at Liverpool this season
Unfortunately, Premier League data on the quickest players is not readily available. However, Ekitke is the fastest Liverpool player in the Champions League this season.
He has so far clocked a top speed of 34.91km/h in the competition, making him quicker than Erling Haaland.
Ibrahima Konate is not far behind the striker, however, with a high speed of 34.5km/h.
Meanwhile, despite clearly possessing a lot of pace, Jeremie Frimpong is also slower than Ekitike in the Champions League this term (34.62km/h).
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