This is one of those Liverpool injury updates that actually makes you feel a bit more positive.
According to L’Équipe, via Get French Football News, Hugo Ekitike is targeting a return to training with Liverpool in November, with the striker hoping to make his competitive comeback in December.
After everything he has been through, that would be brilliant news.
Ekitike ruptured his Achilles tendon back in April and has obviously had a long road ahead of him. Nobody should be rushing him back from an injury like that, but knowing he has November in his sights gives Liverpool supporters something to look forward to.
And, if I’m honest, I’ve missed watching him play.
Ekitike had become such an important player for Liverpool before the injury. He brought goals, movement and a bit of unpredictability to the attack.
Now Liverpool are missing him at a time when the forward line could really do with another option.
Alexander Isak is currently injured and Cody Gakpo is also out, so Andoni Iraola has had to juggle his attacking options.
That’s why Ekitike’s eventual return could be so important.
I’m not expecting him to come back in December and immediately be the same player he was before the injury. That would be completely unrealistic.
He’ll probably need time.
He’ll need minutes.
He’ll need to get his confidence back.
Most importantly, Liverpool need to make sure his Achilles is ready for the demands of Premier League football.
But once he’s properly fit, I think he could make a huge difference.
Ekitike has already shown what he can do.
He’s got pace, he’s good at running beyond defenders and he’s capable of finding the right positions in the box. He’s also still young enough to improve considerably.
And I think that’s something that sometimes gets forgotten.
Liverpool didn’t sign a finished product.
They signed a young striker with a lot of potential who was already showing signs of becoming a very good player.
Then this injury came along.
It’s frustrating for him and it’s frustrating for Liverpool, but neither of those things change his ability.
The report says Ekitike is hoping to return to training in November and play competitively in December. That’s a target rather than a definite date, so I’m not going to get carried away.
If he needs another few weeks, give him them.
I’d much rather see Ekitike return properly in January than rush him back in December and risk another setback.
We’ve got plenty of football still to play.
And if he can get himself right, the second half of the season could be really interesting.
Imagine having Ekitike, Isak and Gakpo all available again.
Add Barcola, Wirtz and the other attacking options into that and Iraola suddenly has a lot more to work with.
The Liverpool attack hasn’t clicked anywhere near as consistently as I’d hoped this season, but injuries haven’t exactly helped.
Getting Ekitike back could give Iraola another player who can change a game.
For now, though, I just want to see him get through the next few weeks without any problems.
November training. December comeback.
Those are the targets.
Hopefully everything goes to plan.
Because when Hugo Ekitike finally walks back onto that pitch in a Liverpool shirt, I think there will be a lot of us who realise just how much we’ve missed him.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
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