Hugo Ekitike has taken to life at Liverpool quickly following his summer move from Eintracht Frankfurt.
The French forward joined as part of a restructured attacking group and made an instant impact, scoring in each of his first three games to match a record held by Daniel Sturridge.
His natural fit into Arne Slot’s system is key to his success, aligning perfectly with Liverpool’s tactical approach.
It is not just about what happens on the pitch, though. Settling into a new team also means adapting to the club culture and building relationships with teammates.
Ekitike has handled that side well too. He recently mentioned which player has played a key role in helping him feel at home since his arrival.
Ibrahima Konate’s role in Hugo Ekitike’s early days
Having a familiar face at a new club can make all the difference, and for Ekitike, that support came from fellow Frenchman Ibrahima Konate.
The 23-year-old striker spoke to Stan Sport Football about how valuable Konate has been since his arrival at Anfield.
“I think the most important person when I came here was Ibou to be honest. He’s been in the club for four years, so he knows everything here, he knows the people so he helped me a lot with everything off the pitch and on the pitch.”
It was not just Konate who made an impact though. Ekitike also pointed out that many of his teammates played a big part in helping him feel at home both on and off the pitch.
“The other players helped me more on the pitch, connection, links to find my position here. But Ibou has been really important for me here.
“The other players helped me to settle well in the team, in the training ground. I found my house quickly, so all these things kind of helped me to just think about football and be focused on my job on the pitch. It’s been good.”
Ekitike was not expecting Liverpool fans to be so passionate
Ekitike also spoke about his impression of the club’s fanbase when he was interviewed by Stan Sport ahead of the Merseyside Derby.
He said: “I didn’t know the fanbase of Liverpool was huge like that, but it’s really good. I feel like they like me, so they show a lot of love and I just want to give them back.”
The Frenchman went on to talk about his first time hearing “You’ll Never Walk Alone” at Anfield, saying the moment left a strong impression on him.
“The first time I heard this I had goosebumps, you know. It’s very special, it’s a very special stadium, a very beautiful stadium.
“It’s kind of the same atmosphere I had in Germany in Frankfurt, but it’s a very good stadium and I love the atmosphere. I’m sure we can play very good football there.”
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