Journalist Ross Gregory has said on NUFC Matters that Newcastle United are yet to close the door on a deal for Hugo Ekitike.
The club looked to have secured the signing of the Reims striker and had settled personal terms with the 20-year-old only to hit a snag when it came to negotiations with the player’s agent (90min).
His representative was vying for his own additional payments and add-ons but Dan Ashworth and his fellow executives ultimately took the decision to walk away from any such move.
However, just as 90min reporter Graeme Bailey stressed last week Gregory has insisted that the fork hasn’t been put in this proposed transfer just yet.
With plenty of time between now in deadline day he is refusing to rule anything out although he did admit that it has rubbed those at St. James’ Park the wrong way and they are looking at different targets.
Are you happy NUFC walked away from Ekitike?
Yes
No
(10:39)”The last I heard on this though the club hadn’t reached that point, that kind of definitive hard stop.
“There is still a lot of time to go, we’re talking two months until the transfer window closes so to knock any deal on the head at this juncture is probably a bit premature but there is no doubt at all they are frustrated and are looking at alternative options.”
TIF Thoughts on Ekitike and Newcastle…
You would think that we haven’t heard the last of this saga, especially considering that they came close to signing him back in January as well.
No other teenage striker scored more goals than Ekitike did in Europe’s top five leagues last season with 10 and Statman Dave revealed that only Kylian Mbappe (1.25) registered more non-penalty direct goal involvements than Ekitike (0.85) in Ligue 1 last year.
He does appear to be their number one target and if a chance does arise again you would suspect Newcastle to pounce so it is certainly one to keep an eye on as frustrating as it has been for supporters.