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Newcastle are trying to make headway with their long-standing interest in striker Hugo Ekitike as they look to bolster their squad ahead of the new Premier League season.
Talks have taken place with Eintracht Frankfurt over the 23-year-old, who the Magpies first targeted in 2022, when he moved to Paris St Germain rather than Tyneside from Reims.
It is understood discussions are ongoing, but that there is a distance to be travelled if they are to finally get their man, who is reportedly valued by his current employers at £86m, and he has other suitors.
Ekitike - who scored against Spurs in the Europa League quarter-finals - moved to PSG in 2023 for €28.5m (£24.7m) plus €6.5m (£5.6m) in bonuses, but didn’t make a mark and was loaned to Frankfurt in February 2024 for €16.5m (£14.3m).
News of Newcastle’s interest has prompted suggestions that the club could be ready to cash in on current record signing Alexander Isak, for whom they paid Real Sociedad £63m.
However, sources on Tyneside have insisted that is not the case as the club hierarchy attempts to fulfil head coach Eddie Howe’s summer wish list after last week’s successful swoop for Nottingham Forest winger Anthony Elanga, which could eventually cost them £55m.
Howe and his players – including Elanga – are currently in Austria for a pre-season training camp, but are due to return ahead of Saturday’s friendly trip to Celtic.
Ekitike has also been a long-time Liverpool interest.
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ESPN think Newcastle United are looking for a deal worth around €80m (£69m) for Ekitike, who scored 22 times last season. The big question for other clubs is whether he would play alongside or replace Alexander Isak - as Newcastle will not be short of suitors for their highly rated Sewdish forward.
Earlier in the summer, it was thought that Frankfurt were looking for £87m for Ekitike, and Chelsea were linked, but have since bought Joao Pedro and Liam Delap.
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