Newcastle could reignite their interest in PSG forward Hugo Ekitike, who is surplus to requirements at the Parc des Princes.
Ekitike was not named in PSG’s Champions League squad so won’t face Newcastle when the sides meet on Tuesday. The 21-year-old has made just one appearance this season and scored only four goals since joining PSG from Reims in 2022, initially on a loan deal with a mandatory €35m purchase, inclusive of bonuses.
Despite that fee only kicking in this year, PSG don’t view Ekitike’s future in Paris. They also tried to sell him over the summer and weren’t short of suitors.
Frankfurt made a €35m offer and Zenit bid €40m, but the French forward rejected both advances, holding out instead for a move to the Premier League which never materialised despite Crystal Palace, West Ham and Everton’s best efforts.
Ekitike wanted the Palace switch on a season-long loan allowing him to keep his options open and reassess during the summer, but PSG refused to give him such freedom. They would have only sanctioned a loan to Selhurst Park with a mandatory buy clause.
Sources indicate that the French champions were disappointed with Ekitike’s handling of the situation, feeling he strung along both PSG and several suitors, focusing more on money than his career.
Ekitike’s agent, Karl Mwalako Buchmann, has proven a tough negotiator and asked for high agent fees during several historical negotiations, including with Newcastle in 2022. Although Buchmann argues he’s simply fighting for his client’s best interests, several well-placed industry sources insist clubs were put off by the financial demands surrounding multiple potential exits that never happened.
Things are now relatively tense between Ekitike and PSG. Ekitike is frustrated by his lack of game time and PSG are underwhelmed by his overall impact since joining from Reims.
Reims had originally accepted Newcastle’s offer in summer 2022, but Ekitike stalled. He was waiting for Luis Campos to officially start at PSG before firming up his future, which meant Newcastle didn’t know for over a month whether Ekitike would agree to join.
In the end, Campos proved influential in landing Ekitike. PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi made it clear at the time he wanted to buy young, and where possible French, meaning Ekitike ticked both boxes. And PSG’s strategy hasn’t changed since; but now, more than ever, players’ off-field character is taken into account.
And that’s perhaps why, as PSG try to build a new unified culture under Luis Enrique, Ekitike is no longer deemed a fit – both as a footballer and personality. Not only has he sadly not lived up to his potential, but there are those in the PSG hierarchy who feel Ekitike should be doing more to fight for his place.
There is not seen as a way back for Ekitike at PSG in the long run meaning he will be loaned or sold in 2024. That presents a window of opportunity for Newcastle, or potentially another Premier League club, since Ekitike’s preference is understood to be to move to England.
Yet if Newcastle do reignite their interest they would prefer a loan, most likely with an option to buy. This is partly down to Financial Fair Play, but also due to a wariness over his form, and Dan Ashworth’s own frustration at being left in limbo during previous advanced talks.
Newcastle will have some convincing to do in order to get PSG to buy into this type of structure should they proceed. The French champions will assess all offers, but their firm preference is a sale; and if a €35-40m offer arrives again, sources indicate they will strongly advise the player to accept it.
As for Ekitike, he is open to leaving in January and drawing a line under a frustrating period in his career.
Why would we buy an immature petulant French narcissist? He needs to grow up and accept he is not the best in the world, nor ever will be.