Arne Slot delivers positive Hugo Ekitike update after Liverpool star undergoes surgery

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Arne Slot says Hugo Ekitike 's surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon "went well" but stressed that the young Liverpool striker faces a long road to recovery.

Ekitike is unlikely to return until 2027 after sustaining a serious injury in Liverpool's recent Champions League defeat against Paris Saint-Germain, with the 23-year-old France international undergoing surgery earlier this month. The injury brings Ekitike's maiden season in the Premier League to a premature end and is a major blow to both club and country with the World Cup on horizon.

Signed in the summer for an initial £69million from Eintracht Frankfurt, Ekitike has made a strong impression at Anfield and was the Reds' leading scorer with 11 goals prior to suffering the injury.

And although Liverpool fans are unlikely to see Ekitike on the pitch anytime soon, Slot confirmed that everything had gone to plan with the surgeons.

"The surgery went well but in such a long rehab process there are so many steps that need to be made," the Dutchman said on Friday.

"Experts will tell you this will take multiple months and then it depends on the steps. We don't know yet but the first and most important step is surgery went well.

"Recovery is going to take a long time but he will be back stronger like all the others who have been out a long time - [Giovanni] Leoni has become a beast!"

The return of Alexander Isak , the club's record transfer signing, has helped to somewhat soften the blow of Ekitike's injury. The Sweden star had been sidelined with a fractured leg.

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Liverpool fans are yet to see the best of the former Newcastle striker, who arrived at Anfield short on match fitness after going on strike to force a transfer. But Slot reckons he is getting closer to full match sharpness and thinks Isak going to the World Cup with Sweden this summer could also be a positive thing.

"The World Cup won't hinder [Isak]," Slot also said on Friday. "What would be the best scenario, not 100 per cent, a very good pre-season of six weeks would have been very good lead up, but if he has a good World Cup and plays a lot of games then that will be helpful.

"Usually tempo at international level is lower than Premier League but I'm happy he is back. He has had a lot of months without training with the team. In the middle of season when everyone else is fit, it's not easy to come back, but we are seeing progress. I don't know when his best level will be, but I'm hoping for ourselves and him it's very soon."

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