Hugo Ekitiké

Key strength: Link-up play

Target man

As Liverpool stumble through a turbulent start under Arne Slot—sitting fourth with a troubling DLDLW run that has Anfield restless—the €85 million question remains: when will Hugo Ekitiké truly arrive? The 24-year-old French colossus, signed from Paris Saint-Germain this summer, has been reduced to fleeting glimpses—just 90 minutes and three cameos despite his devastating pedigree. Yet the football world is already watching his market value soar to €95 million, a staggering €10 million increase before his first start. Last season, the 6ft 3in target man averaged a goal contribution every 113 minutes, torching defenses for 16 goals and 6 assists across 38 appearances. With 75-rated shooting and deceptive 73 pace for his towering frame, Ekitiké represents the clinical, physical finisher Liverpool desperately crave. His sophisticated link-up play makes him the ideal foil for creative orchestrator Dominik Szoboszlai. When Slot finally unleashes this sleeping giant, the Premier League's nets may never be safe again.