Newcastle United have reportedly not been deterred by Eintracht Frankfurt’s eye-watering £67.2m price tag on Hugo Ekitike .
The 22-year-old French striker has become one of the hottest forwards in the market. He has scored 18 goals this season in all competitions and has bagged six assists alongside them.
The Magpies had tried to sign Ekitike in both the mid-season and summer windows in 2022 but unfortunately missed out. Eddie Howe was sure to stress that he wished the youngster good luck for his future endeavours.
Now, three years later, Newcastle are back in competition to sign the Frenchman. According to sports journalist Sacha Tavolieri, Frankfurts asking price of £67.2m, which was reported by Sky Sports Germany, has not scared off the Geordies.
Howe’s side are said to be in contact with Ekitike’s entourage in regards to him potentially moving away from the Bundesliga. For Newcastle to meet Frankfurt’s offer, it would have to be following the sale of Alexander Isak.
(Image: Christian Liewig – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)
Newcastle’s revived interest may be something for Ekitike to notice after the 22-year-old initially turned down a transfer to England and instead opted to play at PSG, a move that he has since regretted.
“I was arriving in [Lionel] Messi and Neymar’s last year,” he told L’Equipe. “Go and get them out… you can’t. They have to play, they’re the best players in the world.
“You’re behind, you’re trying to save time. Two minutes, 15 minutes, two matches on the bench then 60 minutes…there’s no lying in football. Only continuity makes you a player who can count.
“I’m never going to say that I did everything well. I could have done better – that’s the truth – but they [PSG] didn’t help me do better. They didn’t give me confidence. Even during training, even through discussions…they never really took the time to talk to me to be able to help me. I found myself in a situation where I was forced to get by.
“Even in a match, I had to think about how I moved so as not to hinder any player so that the team could function. All that, mixed with a confidence that wasn’t at its maximum, with a different football…that’s a lot of information that meant it didn’t work, but I learned a lot.”
Newcastle’s main competition in the potential fight for Ekitike is reportedly Arsenal. The Gunners have been hounding for a prominent striker and have failed miserably so far, but they see the 22-year-old as a good option to bolster their squad.
View news Source: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/newcastle-united-arsenal-competing-hugo-31170694
