If you were to receive a list of essential squad requirements from Arne Slot, a goalscoring striker would be right near the top.Now, you may assume that is a given for any coach. Yet in an era of false nines and inverted modern wingers whose job is to score as much as it is to create, it is not always the case.The 2024/25 title-winning campaign was a perfect example. The central strikers in that squad – Darwin Nunez and the late Diogo Jota – scored only 11 of Liverpool’s 86 Premier League goals (12.7%), with 52 of them (60%) coming from the wide forwards Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo and, of course, Golden Boot winner Mohamed Salah.It became clear very early on that Slot wasn’t keen on his existing striker options, with Diaz regularly playing down the middle.That Liverpool cruised to title number 20 without a striker capable of hitting double figures was not only impressive but in stark contrast to Slot’s previously successful teams. A striking themeAt Feyenoord, the prolific Santiago Gimenez scored 23 goals in all competitions in 2022/23, going at a rate of one in two in the league as Feyenoord lifted the Eredivisie trophy.The following campaign he extended that to 26, with Slot this time lifting the Dutch Cup. Before the Mexican’s arrival, Slot’s first season in Rotterdam saw loanee Cyriel Dessers brought in as a traditional centre forward.The Nigerian scored 20 in 41 appearances across all competitions, playing a vital role in Feyenoord reaching the Europa Conference League final.In his single season as manager of AZ Alkmaar – in which AZ were incredibly challenging Ajax for the title until COVID-19 arrived – Slot got the very best out of teenage striker Myron Boadu, who hit 20 goals in all competitions.The theme here is obvious – until arriving in England, Slot has always had a natural finisher spearheading his teams. Enter the room, Ekitike. An investment in Slot’s player developmentThe 23-year-old French striker has been signed from Frankfurt in a deal worth £69 million, with a potential £10 million in add-ons.That Slot wanted a new striker was well-known before the window opened and the unbelievably tragic circumstances with Jota. The ideal target was Alexander Isak, but the transfer door was shut and locked with the key thrown away by Newcastle, for now at least.And from the alternatives available, Ekitike has been judged as the next best option.Despite his obvious talent, the size of the fee has raised eyebrows considering the still uncapped Ekitike has only had one high-scoring season and didn’t make the grade at PSG.He bagged 22 goals last campaign, but in the years before that, across his time in Germany, Paris and at Reims, his numbers stood at four, four and 11 goals, respectively – although the latter season was interrupted by a hamstring injury.However, notwithstanding the crazily inflated striker market, this is an investment in the long-term, not just the now.What’s more, it’s an investment in the proven track record Slot has of developing players and taking them to the next level. This includes strikers that the Dutchman has chosen himself, who match the stylistic demands and tactics of his teams. Sharpening the attacking edge The proof is in the proverbial pudding. In his season before joining Feyenoord, Gimenez scored just nine goals for Cruz Azul. For Dessers, his tally the year before linking up with Slot was seven.For Boadu, it was a mere three – and whilst he was a teenager, he hasn’t hit double figures since.There is no doubt that Ekitike is now one of the most exciting young strikers in the game. Under Slot’s tutelage, it does not seem too hyperbolic to think that Ekitike could become one of the world’s best in the next three to five years.Generally, Slot wants his centre-forwards to do their best work between the parameters of the 18-yard box – to be direct and a penalty box target. To not hesitate to shoot on goal.If a cross is played in or an intelligent through ball threaded, his striker is expected to be there. Looking at stats from FBref, compared to other similar strikers, Ekitike is in the 94th percentile for both shot-creating actions and touches inside the attacking penalty area.That is a big box ticked.However, the same stats reveal that he is only in the 75th percentile per 90 minutes for non-penalty goals, suggesting that there is development still to come.It has been reported that he sometimes snatches at chances and needs to become more efficient in front of goal. This shouldn’t be surprising for a young forward, and fans should be filled with anticipation about how Slot can make Ekitike more clinical – not to mention the learning he will get from the likes of Salah. Enhancing link-up playThe one full season Ekitike had at Frankfurt also displayed how good he has become with his link-up play with fellow forwards, creating a strong understanding with first Omar Marmoush and then Jean-Matteo Bahoya and Ansgar Knauff.Indeed, it wasn’t just the goals but the assists – 12 of them – that made last season the best of his career to date. This undoubtedly is another big appeal for Slot.The Dutchman likes technical forwards who are good with the ball at their feet and can bring others into play. To work seamlessly within an attacking trio or quartet.It will be interesting to see how Ekitike is able to break down low-lying Premier League defences with his fast feet, movement and passing.If Slot can help him form the same sort of instinctive understanding with the likes of Salah and Florian Wirtz, he could be deadly. Learning to do the dirty workA lightning-fast forward who is supreme with the ball at his feet and enjoys beating a man, Ekitike will offer real options on the break, again offering Slot another string to his attacking bow.That could be invaluable in tight matches against the bigger sides and in the Champions League. As could the ability to hold up the ball and press – features of his game that Slot will almost certainly look at improving.What is noticeable from assessing Slot’s usage of forwards is how hard he expects them to work out of possession.At Feyenoord, Gimenez wasn’t just a finisher. He always ran his socks off for the team, pressing defenders and challenging for the ball, be it to bring others into play or to win a free kick. I was at the Feyenoord game against Bayern Munich in the Champions League last season (which the Dutch side won 3-0), and it wasn’t Gimenez’s two goals that stood out – it was the incredible, relentless work rate.Of course, playing for a more front-foot Liverpool side is a different kettle of fish, but Ekitike will be expected to do the dirty work that modern strikers are often asked to do, something that wasn’t really part of his job description in Germany.At 6’2″, Ekitike has height and is deceptively good in the air, and Slot will surely help him to use that frame against aggressive and canny Premier League centre halves. In and out of the spotlightAs football fans, we can’t help but get carried away by a quality young player with real potential.The hype around Ekitike is understandable. Yet it may be that Slot, as a brilliant man-manager, takes the 23-year-old out of the firing line more regularly than we might think in his first season, as he adapts to the rigours and pressures of such an intense league and the expectations of being a Liverpool centre forward.To again take the example of Gimenez, Slot only started him in nine of his first 20 Eredivisie games. Indeed, it wasn’t until early February that he played his first full 90 minutes.We may find that Ekitike is initially given a more gradual introduction and be rotated, especially with the likes of Wirtz and, if they stay, Diaz and Nunez, available. There was a long queue of clubs lining up to tempt Ekitike, an exceptional talent who could one day become world-class.If his decision-making in front of goal is half as good as his choice in coaches, Liverpool fans may soon be adding a new name to their own list of legendary strikers to play for the club.