Newcastle United could get another chance to sign Stade Reims wonderkid Hugo Ekitike in the summer. The attacker, dubbed by some in France as the 'next Mbappe', was heavily tipped to join the Magpies back in January.
After having a bid worth £25m accepted by the Ligue 1 side, Ekitike decided against making the winter switch with Newcastle still embroiled in a relegation battle at the time. With the north-east outfit's position in the top flight looking a lot healthier, it could be a move the club revisit in the summer.
Reims president Jean-Pierre Caillot has this week admitted the 19-year-old looks set to leave this time around. “In Hugo’s case, he would waste time staying with us. We refused an offer of €35m (£29m) this winter, which is a lot of money for a club like ours," he told Europe 1.
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"That money will be used to grow and improve the club. Hugo will be allowed to go, and he’s probably going to leave. There wasn’t a big club that didn’t inquire for him.”
Newcastle chief Amanda Staveley has openly admitted the club were interested back in January, with the aim of using him in the future, meaning the club may go in again when the window opens in June.
“We examined all players available in Europe, America, everywhere. There were a few young players we wanted to bring in like Ekitike, but he wouldn’t have been a player for today, he would have been an investment for the future," Staveley told the Athletic.
Ekitike has struggled with injuries and form since opting against a move to England in January. The forward has been sidelined with a hamstring injury sustained on February 20, a significant blow to Reims' end of the season. He is understood to have aggravated the injury on his comeback trail and won't be able to showcase his talents between now and the summer.
