Newcastle Accelerates Talks for Hugo Ekitike Amidst Club Record Bid

Newcastle United has intensified negotiations to sign Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt, aiming to make it their most expensive transfer ever. The German club is asking for approximately £86 million for the France international striker, while Newcastle’s opening offers are around £65 million.

Discussions have been ongoing since Newcastle lost out to Chelsea on another target, Joao Pedro. Recently, further talks took place in Austria during Newcastle’s pre-season training camp, where manager Eddie Howe’s squad is preparing for the upcoming season.

Newcastle previously set their transfer record by paying £63 million to acquire Alexander Isak from Real Sociedad. The club is eager to bolster their attacking options with Ekitike, a 23-year-old who scored 22 goals for Frankfurt last season, including a noteworthy strike against Tottenham Hotspur.

Ekitike has been with Frankfurt since February of last year, transferring from Paris Saint-Germain. In total, he has netted 26 goals in 64 appearances for the German club, after scoring four goals during his time at PSG. His performances earned him a place in the Bundesliga Team of the Season for 2024-25, following two Ligue 1 titles with PSG.

While Newcastle hopes to secure Ekitike’s signature, they are also trying to persuade Alexander Isak to remain for at least another season, with Liverpool monitoring the situation. Ekitike’s potential arrival is seen as a strategic move to strengthen Newcastle’s attack ahead of their return to the Champions League, with their season opener against Aston Villa scheduled for August 16.