Thierry Henry’s remarks regarding fans making comparisons between him and the incoming Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike have resurfaced in light of the young player’s anticipated transfer to Anfield.
On Monday, it was confirmed that the Reds had reached an agreement with Frankfurt for the 23-year-old, valued at £79m, shortly after Newcastle expressed initial interest in acquiring the player.
Ekitike will be joining the ranks of Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, and Milos Kerkez as the current Premier League champions seek to bolster their squad in their quest to defend their title in the upcoming season. With their seemingly new number nine poised to be introduced to enhance the attacking options, Henry’s previous statements now appear significantly more intriguing.
During a discussion on the Rest is Football podcast, co-host Micah Richards disclosed Henry’s opinion on Ekitike, whom he described as someone who ‘does not perform the fundamentals very well.’ The former Manchester City defender frequently collaborates with the French legend for CBS Sports and acknowledged that they had previously conversed about Ekitike.
While Henry recognized that the soon-to-be Liverpool player possesses significant potential, he emphasized that Ekitike struggles with inconsistency. Henry’s lack of confidence in Ekitike was particularly evident during his tenure as the manager of the French U21 and U23 teams.
The Frankfurt striker was not selected to represent the youth squad and also did not make the roster for the 2024 Olympics.
Instead, players such as Alexandre Lacazette and Jean-Philippe Mateta were chosen to spearhead the attack for the Les Bleus team, which ultimately secured a silver medal.