In a recent print edition, The Sunday Mirror (17/09, p78) mentioned that Newcastle United are eager to land Paris Saint-Germain striker Hugo Ekitike in January. It has been stated that the Magpies are hoping to acquire the services of the French centre-forward this winter.
Ekitike’s Struggles In French Football This Season
Ekitike has struggled to earn regular playing time at the French club this season as he has only made one appearance for them so far.
The 21-year-old served as a decent squad player at Parc des Princes in the previous campaign when he was involved in 32 matches for PSG, scoring four goals and grabbing four assists in the process across all fronts.
The Reims-born talent is under contract at the French club until the summer of 2027. Hence, Newcastle will have to make a convincing offer if they want to recruit him next year.
Is Ekitike A Good Option For Newcastle United Boss Eddie Howe?
Ekitike is proficient at finding space for himself to get a few strikes in on-target. The French talent can even create the odd chance for his teammates up top when he is playing with confidence on the pitch. However, he needs to work on improving his link-up play on the attacking end of the field.
Ekitike is primarily a centre-forward but can also fill in as a left-sided wide player if asked to do so by his manager.
We can expect Ekitike to add more depth to Newcastle boss Eddie Howe’s attack. He is good enough to fight for a regular starting spot at St. James’ Park next season and would be an ideal understudy to Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson at the Tyneside club.
At 21, the future is quite bright for Ekitike as long as he continues to develop his all-round game with each season. Hence, he would be a decent option for the Magpies to consider in the long run.
However, there are some serious concerns over whether Ekitike has what it takes to cope with the physical side and high intensity of Premier League football. Still, Howe should focus on getting a deal done for him in 2024 as he could prove to be a success story at the Tyneside club in the long run.
