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Man Utd are said to have expressed an interest in a former Newcastle United striker target
Manchester United are said to be plotting a blockbuster move for a talented French forward that once turned down the chance to join their Premier League rivals Newcastle United.
The Red Devils have lacked firepower in attack this season with Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund only scoring a combined six goals between them in the league this season. Sky Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg claims Ruben Amorim has four strikers on his wish list ahead of the summer window, and one of the top names on that list is understood to be Eintracht Frankfurt forward Hugo Ekitike.
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He suggests that United chiefs are closely monitoring the ex-Paris Saint Germain striker as they look to assemble a group of players that can once again challenge at the top end of the Premier League table.
Man Utd plot move for Hugo Ekitike
United have struggled in front of goal this Premier League season and are among the lowest-scoring sides in the division, with 37 goals in 29 games.The bulk of these have come from midfielder Bruno Fernandes and winger Amad Diallo with the rest of the team scoring a combined 23 between them this term.
As such, the Old Trafford side are desperate for a centre forward and have identified Ekitike as the type of forward that can help them climb the league table. The 22-year-old boasts a record of 19 goals in 38 matches across all competitions this season with 13 of those coming in the Bundesliga.
Ekitike is a sharp dribbler with electric pace and excellent aerial ability. Prior to Omar Marmoush’s departure to Manchester City, he had struck up a great partnership with the Egyptian Deutsche Bank Park and had often got the best out of the striker with his ability to hold the ball up and stretch defences.
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Plettenberg posted on X: “Manchester United are looking to strengthen their attack in the summer and are intensively scouting the market. Talks have already begun. #MUFC. From the Bundesliga, the Red Devils are closely monitoring Hugo #Ekitike and Benjamin #Sesko. Viktor #Gyökeres and Victor #Osimhen remain high on their list.”
Give Me Sports claim Ekitike, who is seventh on the list of Bundesliga scorers this term, is available for a figure of around £66m which would be just £6m less than what they paid for Rasmus Hojlund and around £30m more than what they paid for Joshua Zirkzee last summer.
Should Man Utd make the move for Hugo Ekitike
Hugo Ekitike has been on the radar of Premier League clubs since his breakout season at Ligue 1 side Reims in 2021/22. At the time, Newcastle, who had just been taken over by their Saudi ownership, made Ekitike a priority January target but were unable to convince the young Frenchman to join a team rooted to the bottom of the table.
However, in June 2022, as reported by the Guardian, the Magpies had a £26.5m offer accepted for the youngster before missing out to French champions Paris Saint Germain at the eleventh hour, resulting in the £63m move for Alexander Isak instead.
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Ekitike never got going in the French capital and scored just four times in 33 appearances across all competitions as he struggled to get anywhere near a team containing Kylian Mbappe, Goncalo Ramos and Randal Kolo Muani. The 22-year-old, however, has rebuilt his career and is showing signs of the player he can become in a Frankfurt side sitting fourth in the Bundesliga while making it to the last eight of the Europa League.
The 3AM Verdict: Hugo Ekitike is currently enjoying a stellar campaign at Frankfurt but signing the Frenchman particularly at the £66m price tag would likely be too much of a risk for United at a time where they are having to tread lightly with PSR regulations.
Signing a proven goalscorer is paramount to the team’s ambitions and it is not yet clear at this stage if Ekitike would be a sufficient upgrade on the strikers already at the club, who arrived with similar statistics during their time in Italy before struggling to make the grade.