Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has described Hugo Ekitike's Achilles injury as "devastating" but has backed the striker to "come back even stronger."
Ekitike was forced off after 31 minutes in Liverpool's Champions League quarterfinal defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday and the club have since confirmed the France international has suffered a serious Achilles injury.
The problem will keep Ekitike out of this summer's World Cup and is likely to sideline him for a minimum of nine months, limiting the 23-year-old's involvement next season.
"He hasn't been operated on yet," Slot said. "It is devastating for him, coming to a new club and having such an impact straight away. Your first thoughts are always with him, being out for such a long time and missing out on so many special moments.
"He is not the first and he will not be last player who will experience something like this at the start of his career and there are so many examples of players that have come back even stronger. That's the challenge he has now and I'm 100% sure in 10-15 years he will maybe even say this injury helped me become even stronger and even more ready to perform at an even higher level than before."
With Ekitike injured, there is now more pressure on fellow summer signing Alexander Isak to deliver. The Sweden international has struggled for both form and fitness since his £125 million ($167.82m) move from Newcastle United last summer and made his first start in four months against PSG, having worked his way back from a broken fibula.
"First of all, it is a good thing we have signed two No 9s because there were a lot of people who were debating why we signed two No. 9s," Slot said.
"We thought maybe it's a smart idea not to be the only club in the world that has only one No. 9 and that's why we signed two and now all of a sudden that looks good and now people are maybe questioning if we should sign another No. 9.
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"Someone said to me the day after [PSG] you cannot write the script that on the day Alex is back after four months the other one leaves the pitch with a long term injury but it is a good thing Alex is back now even more, although it wouldn't be the first game I have to play without a particular type in a particular position. I have had many games this season where I didn't have a right full back available, for example. It is nice to have Alex back but we also know he is not ready to play 90 yet."
Asked about the importance of Isak getting up to speed quickly ahead of this weekend's clash with Everton, Slot added: "Very important, although there are also other players that can fill in that position. Those players have played in different positions throughout their lives. Cody [Gakpo] did really well when he came in in the second half [against PSG]. Of course it is important it is important, but you don't get it like that.
"The best thing was that Hugo was still fit, but if he wasn't, two or three weeks later would have been better because Alex is not ready for 90 yet -- depending on the intensity of the game because you never know how a game is going to pan out.
"He is getting closer and closer. Now, we need him, but there are different options to play as a No.9, as well. Federico Chiesa is one of them. There are different options but it is definitely good to have Alex back now that Hugo is injured."