Newcastle United are still interested in going toe-to-toe with a pair of Saudi Pro League clubs in the race to sign French forward Hugo Ekitike.
Liverpool have also been linked with a move for the Eintracht Frankfurt striker as an alternative to Newcastle’s Alexander Isak, but Eintracht’s asking price has apparently turned most prospective buyers off him this summer.
Ekitike has been in the crosshairs of a number of clubs this summer despite his contract running to the summer of 2029 but reports in Europe indicate that the Bundesliga club are demanding upwards of €80 million before they consider a sale.
Saudi vs Saudi vs Saudi for Ekitike’s services?
That’s a ‘get lost’ price tag in anyone’s money but RMC Sport reports that Newcastle are still interested and face competition from Saudi Arabian clubs Al Hilal and Al Qadsiah, with 2023-24 Pro League winners Al Hilal the most eager of all.
Newcastle will benefit from the profit and sustainability regulations boost of Champions League money in 2025-26, potentially unlocking an increase in transfer spending as the Saudi-owned club look to make their mark in the Premier League.
“The hottest prospect is believed to be Al-Hilal, who are reportedly preparing an offer and have contacted his entourage,” reports RMC Sport. “However, Hugo Ekitike would prefer to stay in Europe for the time being.”
Newcastle would presumably be of interest to the player in that case, with other clubs including Chelsea having reportedly fallen by the wayside.
Former French Under-21 international Ekitike enjoyed a fantastic breakthrough season, scoring 22 goals in 48 matches in all competitions.
He scored four times as Eintracht reached the quarter-finals of the Europa League and was a key player in their surge to third place in the Bundesliga behind Bayer Leverkusen and runaway winners Bayern Munich.
Head coach Dino Toppmoller would undoubtedly love to retain the former Reims junior as they embark on their own Champions League journey in the upcoming season.
In FourFourTwo’s opinion, a big-money pursuit for Ekitike would make little sense for Newcastle.
Eintracht brought him in from Paris Saint-Germain initially on loan in January 2024, signing him permanently for a reported fee of €16.5 million last summer.
Throwing Isak money at a new striker who’s less proven than Isak would be an enormous gamble for any club, never mind the one club in the world that already has Isak in its ranks and has shown no inclination whatsoever to sell him.
Isak is ranked at no.4 in FourFourTwo’s list of the best strikers in the world right now and Newcastle are understood to intend to keep him on Tyneside.
