Liverpool's Ekitike Gamble: Gallas Warns of Injury Risks
Liverpool’s summer rebuild has been given a sharp reality check, with former France defender William Gallas warning the club not to pin too much hope on Hugo Ekitike’s recovery from a serious Achilles injury.
The 24-year-old forward, signed as part of Liverpool’s attacking succession plan, is not expected back in competitive action until at least Christmas after suffering significant Achilles damage in April’s Champions League tie against his former club Paris Saint-Germain.
He is currently with the senior squad on their pre-season tour of the United States, working through his rehabilitation while Arne Slot and his staff shape the new campaign. The sight of Ekitike back on the grass is encouraging. The nature of the injury is not.
“I didn't have Hugo Ekitike’s injury, but I know it's very difficult to come back 100% after it,” he said. “Most of the players didn't make it.”
That line will ring loud at Liverpool’s recruitment meetings. The club are already in the market for a right-winger to take on the monumental task of replacing Mohamed Salah. Gallas believes that search might not be enough.
“I know he's still young, but he will have to take his time. Liverpool may have to think twice too. They may have to bring a new player, because nobody knows if he's going to be back in his best,” he warned.
The pressure finally told in his comparison. Gallas pointed to Wesley Fofana, whose career has been repeatedly derailed by injury since leaving Leicester City for Chelsea.
“Listen, we know when we get big injuries, it’s very difficult to come back to your best shape,” Gallas said. “Look what happened to Wesley Fofana from Chelsea. Before, when he was at Leicester, he had a season that was just unbelievable. And then he got that bad injury. And from that bad injury, he never came back to his best performance. It could be the same for Ekitike.”
For Liverpool, the message is clear: hope for the best with Ekitike, plan for something harsher. An Achilles rupture has ended or altered many careers. Even for a 24-year-old, there are no guarantees about explosiveness, sharpness over five yards, or the confidence to trust the body again.
While doubts swirl around the forward line, Gallas is far more optimistic about Liverpool’s major defensive investment.
Jeremy Jacquet arrived from Rennes this summer in a £60million deal, tasked with stepping into the space left by Ibrahima Konate’s departure. It is a heavy responsibility, but Gallas believes the profile fits the stage.
“Jeremy Jacquet is a big boy,” he said. “He's a big boy and he's got quality. If you go to Liverpool, you know he has got quality. So now it's always the same question: you need to adapt and play alongside some of the best players.”
This is where Virgil van Dijk enters the story again, not just as captain and defensive leader, but as on-pitch mentor.
“Virgil van Dijk can help him a lot. Yeah, he needs some time, but I think he can do the job of replacing Ibrahima Konate,” Gallas added.
So Liverpool stand at a familiar crossroads for an elite club: bold faith in their medical and coaching staff on one side, cold realism in the transfer market on the other. At centre-back, they look convinced enough to back Jacquet’s talent and Van Dijk’s guidance.
Up front, the equation is far more delicate. Can a team chasing major trophies afford to wait on an Achilles and a maybe, or does this window demand another striker before the season’s first whistle blows?
