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Derby County secures a vital 1-0 win over Oxford United, keeping play-off dreams alive.
Joe Cole has suggested that Liverpool should consider signing a legendary striker after Hugo Ekitike's serious injury. Ekitike is expected to be sidelined for several months due to a ruptured Achilles tendon.
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âItâs an optionâ â Joe Cole urges Liverpool to consider shock move for legendary 716-goal striker
Joe Cole has urged Liverpool to consider a shock move for one of the most celebrated European strikers of his generation, following the horrendous injury blow to Hugo Ekitike.
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The Frenchman ruptured his Achilles tendon in the 2-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain earlier this week and now faces several months out of action, with that setback coming just as Alexander Isak had returned from a four-month layoff with a broken leg.
A combination of those body blows have left Arne Slot short of at least one of his major centre-forward signings from last summer for most of this season, and thatâll also bleed into the start of the next campaign due to the 23-year-oldâs lengthy absence.
Joe Cole did not specify the name of the legendary striker he is urging Liverpool to consider.
Hugo Ekitike suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon, which will keep him out for several months.
Hugo Ekitike is expected to be sidelined for several months due to his injury.
Joe Cole's comments came after Ekitike's injury during a match against Paris Saint-Germain.

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Cole is adamant that Liverpool need to sign another striker to compensate for Ekitikeâs absence, and he believes his former club should consider a free transfer swoop for veteran Barcelona marksman Robert Lewandowski this summer.
He explained (via Mundo Deportivo): âIf Arne Slot stays in charge, he needs to sign another striker. They need a backup to step up, especially if Liverpool qualify for the Champions League. It wonât be easy to find one.
âPerhaps they need an experienced striker, or maybe someone from the other end of the spectrum, because you canât sign someone who plays at the highest level to compete with Isak and ultimately Ekitike.
âSomeone like Robert Lewandowski, 37 years old, for example. He might be attracted to the challenge, and also by the fact that he still considers himself better than Isak and believes he can break into the team. He could easily play 30 games.
âItâs an option; you either spend a lot of money on a talented 17- or 18-year-old, but then youâre still taking a risk, because you donât know if heâll perform well as Isakâs backup. Either way, itâs a difficult decision for Liverpool, but theyâll have to sign someone.â
(Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)
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We can certainly see the logic in Coleâs suggestion â the Reds havenât had much in the way of centre-forward depth this season and are another Isak injury away from having to deploy someone who isnât a natural striker at the apex of our attack.
Lewandowski is set to become a free agent in the summer, and given his incredible scoring return throughout his distinguished career at the highest level in Europe (716 goals between club and country), he could make a massive different as a short-term addition.
However, realistically itâs difficult to see it happening, as FSG tend to favour long-term potential over a short-term impact, and theyâre likely to baulk at forking out ÂŁ350,000 per week for a player who turns 38 in August (thatâs what the Poland international earns before bonuses).
It seems more likely that Liverpool will bank on Isak remaining fit for the final few weeks of this season and having a more settled summer than last year (although heâll be playing in the World Cup), before then being ready to truly take flight at Anfield in 2026/27.
The idea of bringing in Lewandowski on even a 12-month contract is an intriguing one, for sure, but we canât imagine the prolific Polish marksman pulling on the famous red shirt in the twilight of his career.