· 9 July 2025, 21:30
**Newcastle United's fortunes could have been unfathomably different if things had transpired differently in the summer of 2022.**
The Magpies were absolutely convinced they were about to sign talented French striker Hugo Ekitike from Ligue 1 side Stade Reims before a last-minute change of heart saw the youngster opt for a loan move to Paris Saint-Germain instead.
Newcastle fans were furious with the player, or more specifically, his agent, as it had seemed that the club had been played to engineer a move to the Ligue 1 giants.
The Geordies had the last laugh, though, as Ekitike struggled at PSG while the Magpies went on to sign a little player called Alexander Isak.
> [](https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1942986564990063032)
Hugo Ekitke has done an amazing job of reviving his career after the PSG mess
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Hugo Ekitike managed to get away from PSG via a loan and then a permanent move to Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt, where he's managed to salvage his career.
Indeed, Ekitike has done so well at Frankfurt that there are now several top Premier League sides keen on the 23-year-old, including Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester United.
Newcastle's name keeps popping up in the conversation, too, and now Fabrizio Romano has brought the Magpies into it again with a post on X naming Newcastle as an interested club.
We don't see Hugo Ekitike ending up at Newcastle this summer
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A couple of Saudi Pro League sides are thought to be keen, but Ekitike wants to remain in Europe.
Would we take Ekitike at Newcastle? Absolutely we would! Enough time has passed since his antics in 2022, and as we said, we ultimately came out winners there by signing Isak. Meanwhile, Ekitike has proven that he has what it takes to fulfil that potential we saw in him as a teenager.
Do we think he's a realistic option for Newcastle? No chance. Once again, it's the issue of trying to convince a top striker to come and sit on the bench and watch Alexander Isak take all the limelight. Ekitike is 23, being tracked by some top, top sides, he knows he's better than being a second-choice. It just won't happen.