Liverpool forward Hugo Ekitike will miss the remainder of the season and this summer’s World Cup after scans confirmed a rupture of his Achilles tendon, the Premier League club announced on Thursday.
The 23-year-old French international sustained the injury during the first half of Liverpool’s 2-0 Champions League quarter-final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield on Tuesday.
Ekitike appeared to buckle under no contact, clutching his lower right leg before being forced off the pitch. In a brief statement, Liverpool confirmed the severity of the injury following specialist scans: “Hugo Ekitike will be sidelined for the remaining weeks of the club season and unable to participate in this summer’s World Cup with France.
Further updates will be provided at the appropriate time, with Hugo receiving the full support of everyone at LFC.
“While the club has not provided a specific timeline for his return, an Achilles rupture typically requires surgery and a recovery period of six to nine months.
The news serves as a significant setback for France manager Didier Deschamps, who had already pre-empted the club’s announcement on Wednesday. “The severity of the injury will prevent him from taking part in the World Cup,” Deschamps said via the French Football Federation. “This is a huge blow for him and for the national team.
Ekitike has been a mainstay for Les Bleus since his debut last September, earning eight caps and scoring twice. His absence leaves a void in the French attack just weeks before the tournament begins.
Since his £79 million ($105.5 million) move from Eintracht Frankfurt last summer, Ekitike has been a bright spot in an otherwise turbulent season for the Reds.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot, whose side currently sits fifth in the Premier League and is guaranteed to finish the season without a trophy, admitted the loss of Ekitike is a crushing development.
“It looks really bad,” Slot said. “Losing a player is something we have had many times this season, but it is especially hard for him… you never want to be injured at this time of the year.” Ekitike’s injury is the latest in a long list of casualties that have derailed Liverpool’s campaign.
With the Champions League exit and their domestic struggles, the focus now shifts to rehabilitating their record signing for the start of the 2026/27 season.