Hugo Ekitike has not featured for Liverpool since April, when a ruptured Achilles tendon against Paris Saint-Germain ended his debut Premier League season early.
The Frenchman finished that campaign as Liverpool’s top scorer despite the injury.
UK ONLY
The 23-year-old underwent surgery and has spent the months since working through his rehabilitation away from first-team training.
Liverpool have not set an exact timeline for his return, though the club has indicated he is likely to miss the majority of the 2026-27 season.
Despite the lack of game time, Ekitike’s recovery has progressed enough for Liverpool to make a notable call over the summer.
He was named in Andoni Iraola’s 25-man Champions League squad for the league phase, a decision read as a sign of confidence in his rehabilitation.
Liverpool’s final league phase fixture falls against RC Lens at Anfield on January 27, pointing to a possible window for his comeback.
Speaking ahead of Saturday’s Premier League meeting with Fulham at Anfield, Iraola addressed the striker’s situation directly.
“Hugo, it’s difficult with long-term injuries. It’s still far,” Iraola said.
“We had a meeting with all the medical department to analyse and complete the list of European games and there’s a chance he could play in the last two games of the opening stage but it’s too early to say.”
The Liverpool head coach added: “We have put him there as there’s a hope and a realistic chance he could play.”
Iraola’s comments suggest the club’s medical staff have identified a potential window for Ekitike’s return without committing to a fixed date, consistent with the caution Liverpool have shown throughout his recovery.
Ekitike’s inclusion in the Champions League squad came alongside two other long-term absentees.
Conor Bradley, working back from a knee injury sustained against Arsenal in January, was also named, along with centre-back Giovanni Leoni, who has been out since suffering an ACL injury on his debut last September.
Federico Chiesa and Wataru Endo were left out of the 25-man squad to satisfy UEFA’s homegrown quota requirements, despite both being fit and available for domestic selection.
Liverpool face Fulham on Saturday before returning to Champions League action, with Ekitike’s next assessment expected as the club continues to track his progress toward full fitness.
Support DaveOCKOP and enjoy the site completely ad-free. You’ll get an uninterrupted browsing experience while helping us continue to deliver the latest Liverpool news, breaking stories and exclusives. Go ad-free today.