Hugo Ekitike has stayed tight-lipped on his future but the striker could not help but smile when a Stade de Reims supporter reputedly asked him if he would be joining Newcastle United this summer.
Newcastle, of course, had an offer accepted by Reims for Ekitike earlier this month after the Magpies revisited a bid for the highly-rated 20-year-old, who did not feel ready to move to St James' Park last January. However, in some ways, agreeing a fee of around £25.6m, depending on various add-ons being met, was the straightforward part.
This has been a huge decision for Ekitike to make, after just one campaign in Ligue 1, and the youngster's season only finished less than a fortnight ago after he suffered a hamstring injury while representing France's under-20s at the Maurice Revello tournament. Ekitike's agent, Karl Mwalako Buchmann, appears to have been assessing his options but one potential suitor, Borussia Dortmund, have already signed another 20-year-old with immense potential in Karim Adeyemi from Red Bull Salzburg and the Bundesliga giants are now closing in on Ajax striker Sebastien Haller.
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Although Newcastle have a list of alternative targets to turn to, if required, the Magpies have certainly not given up on a player the hierarchy believe can be an 'investment for the future.' Whether that persistence will pay off remains to be seen.
Ekitike has been on holiday of late, but supporter Willy Carpaye said he bumped into the 20-year-old in Reims on Tuesday after the striker spent some time with his family. Ekitike and Carpaye had a chat and the Reims' fan posted a photograph and video of the pair on social media after apparently asking him about the prospect of a move to Newcastle.
"Hugo is fine," he tweeted. "I assure you! No injury! So he is OK to score even more next season. But where? I asked the question if he would go to Newcastle. He smiled at me!"
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