Alan Shearer praises Hugo Ekitike as Liverpool signing shines after Newcastle rejection

Hugo Ekitike is quickly becoming the signing of the season for Liverpool — and a painful “what if” for Newcastle United. The French forward was one of Newcastle’s priority targets in the summer window as the club looked to reinvent their front line. Instead, he chose a move to Anfield, and since then he has delivered the kind of explosive form that underlines exactly why Liverpool pushed so hard to get him.

Newcastle ultimately signed Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa to strengthen their attack, but neither was considered as central to the long-term project as Ekitike. Losing out on him hurt, and as the season unfolds, the regret only deepens. The 22-year-old has settled instantly under Arne Slot, combining superbly with Liverpool’s wide threats while bringing goals, work rate and freedom to the frontline.

A brace against Brighton on Saturday added another chapter to his breakout campaign, and it drew glowing praise from two former Premier League stars on Match of the Day: Danny Murphy and Newcastle icon Alan Shearer.

Murphy kicked off the praise by highlighting Ekitike’s all-round game: “He’s doing everything — scoring, making chances, winning the ball back. He deserves all the credit.”

Shearer then delivered the line that hit hardest for Newcastle supporters: “He’s got seven goals in ten starts. There’s a rawness about him, but I love his attitude and how keen he is. I love how he’s taken to life at Liverpool in what has been a difficult season. He’s the one who has stood out… he plays with freedom.”

Given that Ekitike rejected Newcastle months earlier, the admiration could not have been easy for Shearer to voice. But even he acknowledged the obvious: the young striker has been “absolutely brilliant”.

Liverpool’s move for Alexander Isak in the same summer always appeared a statement signing more than a tactical necessity. Yet the contrast between the two forwards this season has been stark.

Ekitike has scored ten goals in all competitions, while Isak has found the net only twice. The Swede has struggled to impose himself in a new tactical environment, drifting to the periphery of Arne Slot’s plans.

Newcastle fans will inevitably wonder what could have been. Had Isak stayed on Tyneside — where he thrived in Eddie Howe’s system — his numbers would almost certainly be stronger. Liverpool’s fluid, possession-heavy structure offers less of the transitional chaos that benefitted him so often at Newcastle.

Whether his struggles are temporary adaptation pains or a deeper fit issue remains unclear, but Ekitike’s form has rendered the debate largely irrelevant for Liverpool.

From our view covering Liverpool this season, Ekitike’s decision was far more than a financial or prestige play. He joined a club with a clear attacking tactical plan for him: stretching defences, attacking central channels, and leading the press. That clarity has accelerated his adaptation.

It’s worth questioning whether if Newcastle United's transitional attacking patterns would have suited him as well. Liverpool’s structure gives him well-timed service and positional freedom — an ideal environment for a young, instinctive No.9.

His rapid rise also exposes the risk Liverpool took with Isak. While Isak’s ceiling remains high, the fit has not been immediate, and elite clubs rarely wait long. Ekitike has simply seized the opportunity — and made himself undroppable.

Liverpool face Tottenham Hotspur away on Saturday, 20 December. After beating Brighton 2–0 with Ekitike’s brace, Slot will expect his in-form striker to continue shaping Liverpool’s December surge.

👉 Liverpool fans — is Ekitike already undroppable, or will Isak eventually challenge him?