The goal came in the 37th minute and was a testament to his attacking instincts and technical ability.
The sequence began with a quick one-two pass between Ekitiké and his teammate Alexis Mac Allister. After receiving the ball back, Ekitiké drove into the penalty area from the left side. With a right-footed shot, he found the bottom corner of the net, beating the Bournemouth goalkeeper.
The goal was Ekitiké's first competitive goal for Liverpool, coming on his Premier League debut. His celebration was particularly poignant, as he held up the number 20 in a tribute to the late Diogo Jota. The goal was also a significant one for the club, as it was the first of the Arne Slot era in the Premier League.
Hugo Ekitiké, who recently joined Liverpool, has had a notable career trajectory across several clubs.
Ekitiké began his professional career at Stade de Reims, where he progressed through the youth ranks. He made his senior debut for the club in 2020. In the 2021-2022 Ligue 1 season, he had a breakout year, scoring 10 goals and providing 3 assists in 24 league appearances.
Following his impressive season, Ekitiké joined Paris Saint-Germain on a season-long loan in 2022, which was made permanent the following summer. During his time at PSG, he made 25 league appearances and scored 3 goals. He also featured in the Champions League.
In 2024, Ekitiké was loaned to Eintracht Frankfurt for the second half of the 2023-2024 season, where he scored 4 goals in 14 Bundesliga appearances. The move was made permanent for the 2024-2025 season. In his single full season with Frankfurt, he was a key player, scoring 15 goals and providing 8 assists in 33 league matches, helping the club qualify for the Champions League and earning a spot on the 2024-2025 Bundesliga Team of the Season. His overall record for Frankfurt across all competitions was 22 goals and 12 assists in 48 appearances.
He has also represented France at the U21 level, scoring 5 goals in 5 appearances.
