Liverpool have been warned Hugo Ekitike may not be the same player until the season after next after the Frenchman was forced off against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
Ekitike was stretched off in the first half against PSG as Liverpool exited the Champions League, with the Reds subsequently confirmed the striker has suffered a ruptured Achilles and will now miss the remainder of the season and the World Cup.
The Frenchman isn't expected to return to action for at least seven to nine months, but it could be much longer than that before he returns to anything like his best form, according to Dr. Rajpal Brar, a doctor of physical therapy, a strength and conditioning specialist, and a movement and mechanics coach sports scientist.
Dr Raj has a Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) from Northern Arizona University and specialises in lower body rehabilitation with a focus on football, basketball, tennis and more. And he has warned that the timeframe for Ekitike to truly overcome the injury could be double that of him getting back onto the pitch.
Advert
"In the short and medium term, Hugo Ekitike will have to adapt to less athleticism as he continues to get back to speed physically which would mean increased reliance on his technical skill and footballing IQ," Dr. Raj told SPORTbible on behalf of an exclusive Stake promotion.
“Additionally, there will be an adaptation process where he has to regain full confidence in his body and overcome fear of re-injury (kinesiophobia).
“This could mean things like not going as hard into duels or chasing 50/50 balls. These processes are part and parcel with rehab after this type of injury.
“In the long-term, as long as surgery, rehab and return to sport go according to plan, and Liverpool have one of the best rehab teams in the world, Ekitike should be able to return to his pre-injury levels, but it will take time and patience.
“These injuries typically take seven-to-nine months for elite footballers to recover from, but to return to his pre-injury form is likely to take Ekitike 12-15 months to get back up to full speed physically and mentally.”
In the worst case scenario, Ekitike would not return for Liverpool until midway through the 2026-27 season but then only be at full speed come the start of 2028-29, a bitter blow given how much of a talisman he has been for the Reds this season.
After winning the Premier League last season, and spending a reported £450million on new players including Ekitike in the summer, Liverpool are now racing against time to secure a place in the Champions League for next season.
Without Ekitike to call upon, and with Alexander Isak still fighting to regain fitness following his own injury after joining the club, Slot’s task of guiding his team back into Europe’s top-tier competition for another year, with all its financial rewards, looks bigger than ever.
Mark Holmes