Hugo Ekitike could be back on the pitch sooner than Liverpool fans may expect, thanks to the expertise of Dr Martin J O’Malley.
The Frenchman is currently set for an extended stay on the sidelines after having picked up an Achilles rupture during the Champions League quarter-final second leg defeat to PSG.
The Merseysiders suffered a 2-0 defeat as Luis Enrique’s men secured a 4-0 win on aggregate.
It’s worth noting that Dr O’Malley – who remotely supervised Ekitike’s surgery, according to L’Equipe – was notably responsible for operating on the Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum in 2025 after rupturing his Achilles.
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Thanks to his work, the NBA star has since returned to action and, critically, doesn’t feel a million miles away from his full powers as the Celtics chase playoffs glory.
Just how long was Tatum out? The grand total of 298 days, or 9 months and 3 weeks, between the period of May 12 2025, and his return this year on March 6.
If we translate that over to Hugo Ekitike’s recovery, we’re probably looking at a best-case scenario of a February 2027 return. Or, more precisely, February 16th (to take Jayson Tatum’s timeline).
Arne Slot has already confirmed that it’s going to take ‘a long time’ before we Ekitike back in the famous red shirt. And we’re comfortable with that.
Ultimately, for a player who relies on explosive pace, we’ve no choice but to be patient and ensure the Frenchman comes back at his own pace.
The key now for Liverpool will be ensuring they recruit appropriately in the summer to mitigate against being forced to rely on their injury-prone No.9, Alexander Isak.
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I went to watch the Celtics a few weeks back and Tatum hasn’t lost anything due to the injury. Hope Ekitike fairs the same!
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