Liverpool's new striker Hugo Ekitike has faced criticism after filming himself driving his £200,000 Mercedes G-Wagon and posting the video on Snapchat. The 23-year-old, who joined the Reds this summer for £79 million from Eintracht Frankfurt, was seen showing off his car's orange-and-black dashboard while cruising on a single carriageway. In the footage, he appears to take his eyes off the road as he turns the camera towards his face.
Under UK law, using a mobile phone while driving is prohibited, even when stopped at traffic lights or in slow-moving traffic. Offenders face a £200 fine and six penalty points on their licence. The video drew widespread condemnation from fans and road safety campaigners.
This incident is not the first involving a Liverpool player. In 2018, Mo Salah was filmed using his phone while stationary in traffic. Liverpool reported the matter to Merseyside Police and dealt with it internally. Police confirmed at the time that the footage was passed to the appropriate department.
Ekitike has made a promising start on the pitch, scoring two goals in his first two Premier League appearances and featuring in Liverpool's 1-0 win over Arsenal. He has previously spoken positively about settling in at the club, stating that his teammates are good people off the pitch.
