Hugo Ekitiké

Ekitike uses his physical presence to hold off a defender and bring a pass under control in one movement, buying his midfield the extra second they need to arrive in support. He is comfortable dropping into a pocket of space between the lines, turning defenders inside out with a first touch that takes the ball away from pressure. That combination of physicality and technique makes him more than a purely direct striker.

Ekitike also presses the opposition's first pass with real intensity, chasing down a centre back rather than jogging back into a defensive shape once possession is lost. Liverpool moved for him from German football on the belief that his all round game suits a system built on relentless pressing. Watch how often he wins the ball back high up the pitch, because that work is as valuable as anything he does near goal.