‘He’s Not Afraid of Anything’ – The Man Who Unleashed Liverpool’s Hugo Ekitike

Liverpool’s big-money move for Hugo Ekitike may have raised eyebrows across Europe, but one man who isn’t surprised is Óscar García Junyent — the coach who oversaw the striker’s breakthrough in Ligue 1 and who believes the Frenchman is more than ready for Anfield.

García, who coached Ekitike during a vital stage of his development at Stade de Reims, is convinced that the 22-year-old has both the talent and mentality to thrive under the weight of expectation on Merseyside. He said Ekitike “won’t be afraid to play at Liverpool, or in the Premier League, or of the competition… or of the fact that a lot of money has been paid for his transfer.” García added, “He’s convinced he’ll be a starter wherever he goes.”

The towering striker (1.90m) made his Ligue 1 debut under David Guion, but it was under the Spaniard — formerly of Brighton, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Red Bull Salzburg, Olympiacos, and Celta Vigo — that he truly exploded. Speaking about their first encounters, Óscar recalled: “My first impression was that he was a boy with a lot of potential… who didn’t have many admirers at the club. We wanted to see him in pre-season because we knew that if we could guide him and convince him of his potential, he could be an important player.”

The 2020–21 season, which included a loan spell at Danish side Vejle, proved to be a turning point. Ekitike hit 11 goals and chipped in with five assists in 27 appearances under García’s guidance. The coach explained: “What we did was give him confidence, an individualised training plan, and we tried to coach him with videos of his idols. I remember we compared his stats with those of players from teams similar in level to ours and he would ask us to help him reach Mbappé’s numbers.”

That mentality, according to García, has defined Ekitike from the beginning. Even when the forward earned a €28.5 million move to Paris Saint-Germain — at a time when Messi, Neymar, and Mbappé ruled the roost — he believed he would play. “He has a lot of self-confidence, and that mentality has helped him a lot,” said Óscar. “At the time, PSG had Messi, Mbappé and Neymar and I remember he told me: ‘I’m going there to be a starter.’ That didn’t happen… but he’s not afraid of anything.”

García believes that constant hunger for more has driven Ekitike’s career forward and will serve him well in England. He described the new Liverpool forward as a fast, skilful and intelligent striker who is particularly dangerous inside the box. “He’s a skilful player, very fast and intelligent,” he said. “Inside the box he’s decisive, he doesn’t need much space to finish. His greatest strength is that he has a profile that fits both associative teams and those that rely on counterattacks.”

Still, there’s plenty of room for development. Óscar pointed out that while Ekitike has scored from headers and long-range efforts, those areas still need work. “He’s very young and still has a lot of room to improve. For example, in heading and long-distance shooting… although he has scored some goals like that.”

Interestingly, the coach said Ekitike is not your classic penalty-box poacher. “He likes to be constantly in contact with the ball. Many times he feels more comfortable outside the box than inside,” he noted.

In terms of comparisons, García offered a fascinating blend of names. “When I coached Reims I compared him to Kanouté because of his physique and ability to link up play,” he said. “He also has some of Henry: he can play on the wing and is dangerous in open spaces. But above all, I’d say he has some of Kanu. He really reminds me of him: he’s got quality in tight spaces and pace over long distances. I’d even dare say Ekitike is a bit quicker.”

Asked whether Ekitike can top the 22 goals and 12 assists he managed with Eintracht Frankfurt last season, Óscar was realistic in his response. “He’s not a natural goalscorer, like Haaland. Ekitike likes to create chances and provide assists.”

Liverpool may have splashed out a serious fee to land him, but in Óscar’s eyes, they’ve brought in a “modern striker” with the tools — and the fearless mentality — to be a modern forward ready to make Anfield his stage for years to come.

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