Arne Slot reacts to Hugo Ekitike’s viral return video

Europe 25 April 2026 at 14:26

Khaled Hegazy

News Editor

Hugo Ekitike drew widespread attention after posting AI-generated video showing a miraculous return from injury but Liverpool manager Arne Slot quickly clarified that the striker faces a long road to recovery following Achilles surgery.

The 23 year old forward shared a surreal clip on Instagram in which he appears on crutches before throwing them aside sprinting onto the pitch scoring against Manchester City and celebrating with a front flip.

Slot: "That’s not realistic"

Speaking during his latest press conference, Arne Slot addressed the video directly making it clear that Ekitike’s situation is far more serious.

“I saw Hugo’s post where he’s running with crutches but I don’t think that’s realistic” Slot said.

The Liverpool manager confirmed that the striker recently underwent successful surgery on his Achilles tendon.. one of the most challenging injuries for any professional footballer.

Long recovery ahead

While the operation itself went well, the recovery process is expected to be lengthy and carefully managed.

“We don’t have a precise return date yet.. The most important thing is that the surgery was successful. Recovery will take time but he will come back stronger, like others who have been through similar situations” Slot explained.

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