When Liverpool completed the £79 million signing of Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt during the summer transfer window, the football world reacted with curiosity and excitement. Some fans were over the moon about the arrival of the young French forward, while others were skeptical about whether he could handle the weight of expectations at a club like Liverpool. But within just a few months at Anfield, Ekitike has already started to show why Liverpool made him one of the central pieces of Arne Slot’s rebuilding project. With five goals in his first nine appearances, he has not only won the admiration of the supporters but has also gained the trust of his teammates. Yet behind the goals and the strong start lies another story, a story about respect, admiration, and the surprising bond between a newcomer and a legend—between Hugo Ekitike and Mohamed Salah.
Ekitike was only 23 years old when Liverpool secured his signature, but his journey had already been filled with ups and downs. At Frankfurt, he had been seen as a player with immense potential, and it was his finishing ability, movement off the ball, and maturity in front of goal that convinced Liverpool to spend big on him. Still, stepping into the Premier League is never easy. The pace, the pressure, the spotlight—it can break players who are not mentally ready. Ekitike knew he was not just coming to play football. He was coming into a dressing room filled with stars, with history, with men who had carried Liverpool on their backs through the most glorious and most difficult times. And at the very top of that list was Mohamed Salah.
For years, Salah has been Liverpool’s symbol, the face of the team, the legend whose goals lit up Anfield nights and gave fans unforgettable memories. To the outside world, Salah often appeared serious, sometimes even distant. His straight face during matches, his calm demeanor during press conferences, and his aura of focus created an image of a man who was all business. For a newcomer like Ekitike, that image carried weight. He admitted that before joining Liverpool, he had a very different picture of Salah in his head. He thought the Egyptian king was cold, someone who didn’t talk much, someone who was there to do his job and leave. But once he stepped into the Liverpool dressing room, all of that changed.
Speaking to Kelly Somers for The Football Interview on BBC Sport, Ekitike opened up about his first months at Liverpool and his surprising relationship with Salah. With a smile, he explained that Salah turned out to be completely different from what he expected. “Really good. Mo is a really cool guy,” Ekitike said. “He is really open with me and really good to talk to. He is great to play with. I was watching him on TV when he was scoring goals and stuff, but he is a really great athlete. You can just improve yourself and learn from him. It is good to share the pitch with him and I hope we are going to score lots of goals and bring some wins to the team together.”
Those words carried weight because they showed not just admiration but also relief. For a young player walking into such a huge club, acceptance is everything. You can have all the talent in the world, but if you don’t feel welcome, if you don’t feel supported, your journey can turn into a nightmare. Ekitike didn’t just find support; he found a mentor, a leader, and a teammate in Salah. What impressed him most was Salah’s openness. “He is very cool,” Ekitike added. “More cool than what I have seen on TV because sometimes you see straight face and stuff so I thought he was cold, someone who doesn’t talk a lot. He is really open, like all of the guys here. They are really open and want me to adapt to the team.”
That openness is exactly what Liverpool needed as they entered a new era under Arne Slot. With some big names leaving, with the team undergoing changes, the unity inside the dressing room was more important than ever. And Salah, despite being the biggest star, has shown he is still ready to guide, support, and welcome anyone who comes to wear the famous red shirt. For Ekitike, that meant everything.
On the pitch, their partnership has started to blossom. Salah remains the talisman, the man defenses fear, the one who can change a game in a single moment. But Ekitike has already shown flashes of being the perfect partner. His movement creates space, his finishing adds another threat, and his willingness to learn makes him a sponge for knowledge. Together, they could form one of the most dangerous partnerships in the Premier League, a mix of youth and experience, of ambition and legacy.
Ekitike’s respect for Salah goes beyond football. It is about character. He came in expecting distance but found friendship. He came in prepared for silence but found conversations. He came in ready to be alone in the shadow of a giant but found himself standing beside someone who wants him to shine too. That is the magic of football, and that is the magic of Liverpool
Liverpool fans are already dreaming about what the future could look like with Ekitike and Salah working together. Anfield has seen legendary partnerships before—Dalglish and Rush, Fowler and Owen, Torres and Gerrard, Salah and Mane. Could Salah and Ekitike be the next? It is too early to say, but the signs are promising. And with Salah still performing at the highest level while Ekitike grows game by game, the balance looks right.
But it is not just about goals. It is about connection. When Ekitike speaks about Salah, you hear not just a player talking about a teammate but a young man talking about someone who inspires him. That inspiration is priceless. In a world where football can sometimes feel cold, where players can feel like business assets, moments like this remind us that the game is still about people, about relationships, about the bonds that form when talent meets humility.
For Liverpool, this relationship is a blessing. It strengthens the dressing room. It boosts confidence. It sends a message to other young players: if you come to Liverpool, you will not just play with legends, you will grow with them. That is the Liverpool way.
Ekitike’s early form shows he is ready to write his own story at Anfield. But he is also wise enough to know that he doesn’t have to do it alone. With Salah by his side, guiding him, pushing him, and welcoming him, his journey looks brighter than ever. For now, Liverpool fans can enjoy watching the beginning of what could be something special: a bond between a king who has already conquered Anfield and a young striker who dreams of writing his name in the same book.
And maybe, just maybe, years from now, when fans talk about Hugo Ekitike’s time at Liverpool, they will remember not only his goals but also the day he walked into the dressing room, saw Salah for the first time, and realized that legends are not always cold, that sometimes they are warmer, kinder, and more inspiring than you could ever imagine.
This is only the start of Hugo Ekitike’s Liverpool journey. But already, it is a journey filled with goals, admiration, and one very important friendship with Mohamed Salah. And if that friendship continues to grow, Liverpool could be looking at one of the most exciting attacking partnerships in the Premier League for years to come
