Hugo Ekitike, who once turned down a last-minute transfer to Newcastle United in 2022, is now reportedly on Arsenal’s radar.
The Eintracht Frankfurt striker has been linked with both the Gunners and London rivals Chelsea, with interest expected to ramp up as the summer transfer window approaches. Both Premier League outfits are believed to view him as an alternative to Alexander Isak, who’s currently lighting up St James’ Park with 17 goals and five assists in the 2024/25 season.
Interestingly, Newcastle could have had both prolific forwards in their ranks, as Ekitike declined a late January switch from FC Reims to England three years ago. Back then, it was confirmed that the French club had accepted a deadline day offer of £25, – potentially rising to £33m – from the Magpies for the then 19-year-old.
However, the deal hinged on agreeing personal terms with Ekitike, who eventually chose to remain at Reims until the end of the season. Reims president Jean-Pierre Caillot stated that at the time, both the club and player “share the feeling there is still a piece of history to write together”.
Merely months after snubbing Newcastle, Ekitike was unveiled as PSG’s latest loan signing in July 2022. He later revealed that a chat with PSG’s football advisor, Luis Campos, swayed his decision to join the Ligue 1 champions.
(Image: Stu Forster/Getty Images)
In an interview with Le Parisien, Ekitike said: “I had an appointment with Luis which meant a lot for me. It was not so long ago. We talked a lot, he is someone I consider enormously. I wanted to come to PSG before this exchange but it convinced me even more.
“I don’t put aside everything Newcastle did to get me to come. If I had to go abroad, I would have gone there. But when PSG wants you and you’re French, you can’t refuse.”
After joining PSG permanently one year later, Ekitike made 33 appearances for the club, scoring four goals and assisting four times.
The 22-year-old then secured a loan move to Frankfurt in January 2024, where he impressed enough to join the Bundesliga club last summer in a £13.6m (€16.5m) deal.
Across 48 appearances for Frankfurt, Ekitike has scored 21 goals and assisted eight times. This form has caught the attention of Mikel Arteta and Chelsea’s Enzo Maresca, as per Caught Offside, with both managers reportedly on the hunt for a reliable striker.
Arteta has lost both Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus to long-term injuries, with neither impressing as hoped before being sidelined, and Maresca has been relying on a still inconsistent Nicolas Jackson, who is also now sidelined for a number of weeks.
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