The French forward is heading to Anfield after a breakout season at Eintracht Frankfurt. He’s talented, quick, and carries himself like a star. But does the data back up Liverpool’s gamble, or are we looking at another Darwin Nunez situation? Let’s break it down.
The Raw Numbers: An Explosion or an Exception?
In 2024/25, Ekitike scored 22 goals and provided 12 assists across all competitions. At first glance, that's impressive, he ranked joint-6th for goals and joint-4th for total goal involvements in the Bundesliga. Only a few forwards in Europe matched his combo of volume and versatility.
But numbers without context can mislead. Let’s go deeper.In the Bundesliga alone, he scored 15 goals, with 7 more coming in other competitions. On paper, not bad. But his non-penalty xG was a whopping 22.55, meaning he underperformed by -7.55 goals, the worst underperformance in the Bundesliga last season. That's not just missing sitters. That's ballooning them into orbit.
For comparison, Nicolas Jackson, a player Chelsea fans occasionally scream at through their screens, was more clinical.
Ekitike vs. The Elite
Only four players across Europe’s top five leagues averaged both 4+ shots per 90 and 7+ touches in the opposition box per 90 last season:
🔹Kylian Mbappe🔹Lamine Yamal
🔹Ousmane Dembélé
🔹Hugo Ekitike
That’s elite company. But while Mbappe finishes his dinner, Ekitike leaves his plate half full.
Here’s where the contradiction lives. Ekitike is consistently getting into elite positions. His non-penalty xG per shot is 0.17: joint-6th best in Europe. So he’s not just shooting from silly angles. He’s getting in the right spots. He’s just... not scoring.
That leaves us with a question Liverpool must have asked themselves: Would you rather have a striker who gets in the right areas and misses, or one who never gets there at all?
What About Playmaking?
This is where things get brighter. His assists per 90 (0.29) rank him in the 90th percentile, and his expected assisted goals (xAG) put him in the 95th percentile. He also ranks:
📊 94th percentile for Shot-Creating Actions📊 89th percentile for Goal-Creating Actions
📊 95th percentile for Key Passes
He’s not a selfish 9. He wants to play others in. And it shows. Whether it’s feeding Marmoush or laying it off for a midfielder, Ekitike gets teammates involved.
He’s also press-resistant and agile in tight spaces, ranking in the 96th percentile for progressive carries, take-ons, and carries into the penalty area. He’s a menace with the ball at his feet, think more Isak than Nunez.
Pressing and Fit in Arne Slot's System
One reason Liverpool may have pulled the trigger? Slot wants mobile, pressing forwards. Ekitike doesn’t press with quantity like Isak, but when Frankfurt did press, they did it smart.
Eintracht were in the top five for high turnovers leading to shots, and top three for high turnovers leading to goals. And when Marmoush left in January, Ekitike thrived as the lone frontman, involved in 12 goals during the final stretch.
It’s no surprise Liverpool turned to him after being priced out of Isak. The stylistic comparison is real. Ekitike brings that same hybrid threat: a No. 9 who moves like a winger, dribbles like a 10, and occasionally finishes like... well, a 6.
The Red Flags
📊 2022/23: 4 goals, 4 assists in 32 matches
📊2023/24: 4 goals, 2 assists in 17 matches
📊2024/25: 22 goals, 12 assists in 48 matches
Yes, last season was a big leap. But it's the only season he's really delivered at that level. Is that growth, or is it an outlier?
Another concern is control. He ranks in the bottom 11th percentile for miscontrols, meaning he’s still raw in tight areas despite his flashy skill set. Liverpool can polish players, but they’ve also learned the hard way that you can’t always teach calm.
MSport DataScout Verdict: Is He Worth €95 Million?
If he keeps getting into great positions, the goals should come. But as we've seen with Darwin Nunez, should can be a dangerous word at Anfield.
In truth, this isn’t a signing for now, it’s one for two years from now. Whether Liverpool fans have the patience, and whether Ekitike has the nerve, remains to be seen.
But one thing’s for sure, this won’t be boring.
