Liverpool star Hugo Ekitiké ruled out for rest of season and World Cup with France

Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitiké will miss the rest of the season and the World Cup after sustaining an injury against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday, April 14.

The French striker suffered a suspected Achilles tendon rupture in the first half of Liverpool’s Champions League quarter-final second leg defeat and could be sidelined until next year as a result.

The full extent of the 23-year-old’s injury has not been confirmed, but he underwent scans on Wednesday and Liverpool is expected to provide an update later this week.  But the head coach of the France national team has ruled Ekitiké out of his plans for this summer’s World Cup.

“Hugo suffered a serious injury against PSG on Tuesday night,” said Deschamps, whose team play group games against Senegal, Iraq and Norway in the United States. “Unfortunately, the severity of his injury will prevent him from finishing the season with Liverpool and from taking part in the World Cup.”

Ekitiké is Liverpool’s leading goalscorer this season with 17 goals in all competitions.

The forward, who joined from Eintracht Frankfurt last summer in a deal worth up to £79m, has emerged as the standout signing from Liverpool’s high-cost recruitment drive.