Why Ekitiké can replace Marmoush | OneFootball

Why Hugo Ekitiké can replace Omar Marmoush‘s goals at Eintracht Frankfurt

Having scored 11 goals in 28 games in the 2021/22 season for Reims at the age of 19, Ekitiké caught the eye of numerous clubs across Europe, and eventually chose to stay in Ligue 1 with Paris Saint-Germain. The 2022/23 season at his new club in the capital didn’t bring as much joy, however, and he ended the campaign with four goals in 32 games. The first half of the 2023/24 then saw him feature just once.

Ekitiké himself admitted that his time in Paris was especially difficult, with high expectations at a young age and a lack of game time causing him to look for new pastures: "Not everyone has experienced that, and I don't wish it on anyone. It's not easy."

A loan spell to Frankfurt for the second half of 2023/24 followed and saw him score four times in 14 games, providing two assists and winning over the Eintracht faithful in the process. He then joined the Eagles on a permanent basis ahead of the 2024/25 season, and has gone from strength to strength since.

The Frenchman currently has nine goals and three assists in 17 Bundesliga games, and 13 goals in 26 games in all competitions so far - a healthy tally for a young striker in his first full season in the league. This is already his best return in professional football, and it comes at a club that has provided him with the most games (42) in his early career.

However, given the extraordinary exploits of soon-to-be former teammate Marmoush, who is set to join Manchester City, Ekitiké’s contributions to Frankfurt’s impressive performances this season perhaps haven’t received the plaudits they deserve.

His tall, wiry frame may give the impression of a target man, but in fact it is his ability to drift out wide or drop deep, link play or drive with the ball, that allows those around him, such as Marmoush, to excel whilst also making life very difficult for those marking him. An excellent technician with an eye for goal, the talented striker has already become a crucial cog in Dino Toppmöller’s well-oiled Frankfurt machine.

Ekitiké has a variety of finishes in his locker, executing all of them with an air of composure. His first goal of the season against Hoffenheim on Matchday 2 is a perfect example of this; having managed to escape the clutches of Anton Stach on the edge of the box, he coolly rounded the oncoming Oliver Baumann before slotting into an open net.

Matchday 6 saw him in a similar position, this time with the pressure of finishing off a sweeping counter-attack to put his side ahead against Bayern Munich, which he did so with great conviction, taking a touch before smashing it into the near corner of Manuel Neuer’s goal. His recent goal against Freiburg on Matchday 17, saw him race onto a loose ball from the Frankfurt half before carrying it into the area and lifting the ball past Noah Atubolu, proving that he’s dangerous even from his own half.

Matchday 18 saw Frankfurt host Borussia Dortmund, with Ekitiké leading the line without Marmoush by his side for the first time this season, and he took only 18 minutes to prove that the Egyptian won’t be taking all the goals with him when he departs.

His talent was clear to see from the beginning, as highlighted by previous boss Oscar Garcia, who coached him at Reims: “We saw during that pre-season that he had a lot of the qualities required to become a top striker… He is a player who, for me, can play for a top club.”

His qualities were of course evident to current coach Toppmöller who, on the topic of Ekitiké and Marmoush’s importance earlier this season, was full of praise for both: “We have two centre forwards who can score goals out of nothing, and can create chances out of nothing".

While his Egyptian wingman taking off to pastures new, Ekitiké's qualities won’t be going anywhere. And in his short time at Frankfurt thus far, the 22-year-old has already proven he can fire his side to victory on plenty of occasions.

This season, with consistent game time and the backing of his manager, the Frenchman has shown just how dangerous he can be. As part of a front two, as a lone striker or coming off the bench, he has displayed the ability to adjust and still be effective.

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