Sky Sports Just release Hugo Ekitike updates as Newcastle make major move on Monday
Newcastle United Ramp Up Pursuit of Hugo Ekitike Amid Strong Competition
Newcastle United’s interest in signing French forward Hugo Ekitike is intensifying as the club takes significant steps to secure his services during the summer transfer window.
Earlier today, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano confirmed that the Magpies are actively “working on a deal” to bring Ekitike to St. James’ Park, describing the Eintracht Frankfurt star as a “top target” for the club. This comes in the wake of Joao Pedro’s decision to join Chelsea instead of Newcastle, leaving the Tyneside outfit in search of alternative attacking reinforcements.
Now, fresh updates from both Germany and the North East of England suggest that Newcastle are beginning to make concrete progress in their efforts to sign the 23-year-old striker.
According to Sky Sports Germany correspondent Florian Plettenberg, Newcastle have entered “concrete talks” with Ekitike’s representatives as they attempt to reach a verbal agreement with the player. Plettenberg added that the Magpies are prepared to meet Eintracht Frankfurt’s valuation of the player, although, as of now, there have been no formal negotiations between the two clubs.
This indicates that Newcastle’s focus is currently on winning over Ekitike himself before tabling an official bid to Frankfurt. It’s a tactical approach that could give them the edge over rivals, particularly as Manchester United and Liverpool are also reportedly monitoring the situation closely.
Closer to home, Sky Sports North East reporter Keith Downie echoed this sentiment on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), suggesting that Newcastle are preparing a club-record offer in their bid to secure Ekitike. According to Downie, the Premier League side are eager to bring the talented French forward in to complement existing star striker Alexander Isak, rather than replace him — pointing to a possible two-striker system under Eddie Howe next season.
Fabrizio Romano has since provided another update, reaffirming that negotiations between Newcastle and Eintracht Frankfurt remain ongoing. He revealed that all parties — both clubs and the player’s camp — are currently in discussions to iron out the financial details of a potential deal.
Ekitike, who joined Eintracht Frankfurt permanently following an initial loan spell from Paris Saint-Germain, has long been on Newcastle’s radar. The Magpies previously attempted to sign him from Stade de Reims in 2022 but were ultimately unsuccessful.
However, it now appears that Newcastle are more determined than ever to get this deal over the line, especially after missing out on other attacking targets. With the club reportedly willing to break their transfer record to bring Ekitike to Tyneside, the coming days could prove decisive.
As negotiations continue, fans will be watching closely to see whether Newcastle can fend off competition from fellow Premier League heavyweights and finally land the highly-rated French striker they’ve been chasing for years.