How Ekitike has emerged as the star striker of the class of summer 2025

At Liverpool, the headline was even louder. The arrival of Alexander Isak, a marquee signing designed to lead the line for years to come, dominated the narrative.

Hugo Ekitike arrived in the same window, expensive and promising, but unmistakably secondary in the hierarchy of hype.

Six months later, with a third of the season still to play and Liverpool locked in a tense fight for a top-four finish, the script has flipped.

It is Ekitike, not Isak and not any of his fellow big-money peers across the league, who has delivered the most consistent impact. His adaptation to the Premier League has been rapid, pragmatic and, increasingly, decisive.

Ekitike’s defining moment so far came on January 31 in Liverpool’s 4-1 win over Newcastle. With the game finely poised, the French forward struck twice, showing two sides of his profile: first, sharp movement to find space between centre-backs, then calm execution when the chance arrived.

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Those goals didn’t just secure three points; they underlined why Liverpool’s staff have grown to trust him in the biggest moments. Ekitike has reached double figures in league goals, sitting on 10 for the season, a return that outpaces every other striker signed in the same summer window.

What has stood out is not just the volume of goals, but the variety. Ekitike has scored in transition, from sustained pressure and on quick counters. He has shown an ability to occupy defenders physically while also drifting into channels to create space for Mohamed Salah and Florian Wirtz. In Arne Slot’s fluid attacking system, that flexibility has become invaluable.

By contrast, the other headline arrivals have struggled to find rhythm.

Gyokeres has been in and out of form, Sesko has flashed potential without sustained output and Woltemade is still adjusting to the pace and physicality of English football.

Isak, Liverpool’s glamour signing, was being eased in and managed carefully before a broken leg ruled him out, but it is Ekitike who has taken the burden of goalscoring responsibility during the most demanding stretch of the campaign.

For Liverpool, the timing could not be better. With Champions League qualification on the line, Ekitike’s emergence has given them a reliable focal point in attack and a sense of momentum.

For the wider league, it has reshaped the conversation about the summer of 2025. What once looked like a window defined by star names is now being remembered for the striker who arrived with less noise and has made the most impact.

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