GENIUS Richard Hughes striker signing confirms Liverpool dominance

It’s been a summer of big striker arrivals around the Premier League.

Liverpool made the decision to part with an initial £69m to acquire Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt.

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Arsenal finally landed the striker they’ve craved for so long in signing Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting CP for an initial £55m - rising to £63.5m.

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And FIFA Club World Cup winners Chelsea have strengthened yet again with the addition of Joao Pedro - who comes on board from Brighton for £55m plus £5m in add-ons.

Hugo Ekitike off to a great start

Elsewhere Manchester United have spent just under £200m on a new strikeforce which includes Benjamin Sesko (£66.3m), Bryan Mbeumo (£65m) and Matheus Cunha (£62.5m).

And the early signs are that Liverpool have done the best business.

Although it’s only been two games, Ekitike looks a natural fit in the Liverpool line-up. Counting the Community Shield he’s the first Liverpool player to net in each of his first three competitive games since Daniel Sturridge over a decade ago.

Ekitike opened his Premier League account with a goal and an assist against Bournemouth on matchday one. The 22-year-old followed up that performance with another goalscoring display against Newcastle.

With Alexander Isak breathing down his neck, the Frenchman delivered a reminder of his quality and staked a claim for the Reds’ starting striker position in the season ahead.

What an upgrade it’s been - from the inefficient Darwin Nunez to the assured and clinical Ekitike. And it’s not only his goals - Ekitike has also been active in creating chances for others and linking the play.

Liverpool have had their eyes on the former Paris Saint-Germain forward since his days as a young player with Reims in Ligue 1. Their careful scouting - and patience has paid off.

Sporting director Richard Hughes had to pay a premium for the France under-21 star but given Frankfurt initially wanted €100m for their prized asset, the club have done remarkably well to tie him down for much less than that.

Ekitike v Gyokeres, Joao Pedro, Sesko and others

So how does Ekitike measure up against the other striker signings made this summer? Very well in fact.

Gyokeres endured a horror debut against Manchester United for Arsenal on matchday one - appearing far beneath the required standard and justifying the Reds’ decision to not go in for him.

The Swede did a lot better in the 5-0 drubbing of Leeds on matchday two - netting one goal from open play and another penalty - but sterner examinations await. The jury remains out for a player with two goals from two starts and zero assists as yet.

Joao Pedro has undergone a similarly uneven start to the season. He struggled a lot in Chelsea’s season-opening 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace but added a goal and two assists in the 5-1 win at West Ham over the weekend.

Liverpool have been interested in the Brazilian in the past and he in fairness looks quality. Still, he cannot match the output of Ekitike right now.

This has been a Richard Hughes masterclass

At Manchester United it’s a circus as usual. Despite spending all that money on Sesko, Ruben Amorim does not yet trust the Slovenian to start matches.

The 22-year-old striker has had two ineffective cameos - against Arsenal and Fulham - and hasn’t come close to scoring. It’s two games, zero goals and zero assists thus far for the former RB Leipzig frontman.

United have also signed Mbeumo and Cunha of course. While Mbeumo cannot be classified as a pure striker, he too has provided nothing in terms of goals and assists as yet.

Cunha has played up top and in behind for Amorim but he too is short of goals and assists. He scores zero in both categories and he’s only managed to create two chances in two matches.

Verdict: This was another Richard Hughes masterclass. Of the several strikers available, the Liverpool executive has made a brilliant decision that is paying off already.

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