Newcastle United are in talks over a club-record move for Eintracht Frankfurt star Hugo Ekitike and are aiming to get the deal done quickly.
After a worrying June which saw several targets move elsewhere, the Magpies are making up for lost ground and working on deals left, right and centre.
Anthony Elanga was confirmed as a Newcastle United player last week after agreeing a move from Nottingham Forest on a five-year deal. That deal ended a long wait for a quality right-winger on Tyneside, and the focus had then shifted elsewhere.
After Elanga, Newcastle wanted to sign a striker and appear to be making quick work of it. Reports on Monday stated Newcastle placed a bid around the club record for Hugo Ekitike, believed to be in the region of £60million.
While there is no confirmation that the deal will get done on the first bid, Geordie Boot Boys understands, Newcastle are prepared to put down £70million for Ekitike, making him the club’s most expensive player. With Newcastle continuing their talks with Eintracht Frankfurt and Ekitike, a new report has shared exactly why he is so keen on a move to the North East.
Hugo Ekitike hangs in the goalmouth during a Bundesliga game between Eintracht Frankfurt and Vfl Wolfsburg.
Photo by KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images
Ekitike has reportedly agreed a five-year deal with Newcastle, so it is just a case of the two clubs agreeing on a transfer fee before he can travel for his medical.
The belief is that Newcastle want Ekitike on their side before pre-season trips to Singapore and South Korea. Eddie Howe’s squad fly out shortly after the Celtic game on Saturday, so there will need to be a major needle-moving moment for the deal to get done by then.
Despite a brilliant 2024/25 campaign, Ekitike has still been snubbed by France national team boss Didier Deschamps for a call-up. The striker has played at Under-21s level for his country, but is still waiting for his opportunity to shine on the bigger stage.
MORE NEWCASTLE STORIES
According to ESPN, Ekitike hopes playing in the Premier League and getting frequent Champions League football with Newcastle will give him a much better chance of being capped for France’s senior squad.
Ekitike’s agent is on Tyneside to iron out details for the deal in what is a truly monumental moment for the Magpies.
Eddie Howe has helped Newcastle United stars make international debuts
It comes as no surprise that Ekitike wants to join Newcastle to boost his international hopes. The Magpies have become a great place for players to improve and earn a call-up to their national team.
Howe has been credited for completely transforming a number of players on Tyneside, perhaps nobody more than Joelinton. Playing as a striker when Howe arrived, he moved into midfield through sheer coincidence and has stayed in the position ever since. The Brazilian has now been capped seven times for his national team.
🚨⚪️⚫️ EXCL: Newcastle submitted an official bid today to Eintracht Frankfurt for Hugo Ekitike!
Proposal higher than €70m previously offered by another club this summer with Newcastle pushing to get the deal done.
Negotiations underway. 🔛🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/NYfrlsQKLP
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 14, 2025
View Tweet
Elsewhere, Dan Burn was handed his first England call-up just a couple of days before the Carabao Cup final. He made his debut at Wembley shortly after Newcastle’s historic cup win and has since earned another cap.
The likes of Lewis Hall, Tino Livramento and Anthony Gordon have also made their international debuts after working with Howe, while Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali have been regulars for their respective countries since their arrivals on Tyneside.
Ekitike could be another name on a long list of players who have received international call-ups thanks to Howe’s tutelage.