The Athletic’s reporter Chris Waugh has admitted he ‘wouldn’t be surprised’ if the Hugo Ekitike to Newcastle saga reemerged later this summer.
The French forward has been heavily linked with a move to St James’ Park, and for a long time it looked like he would be joining Eddie Howe’s side.
A fee of £26million was agreed with Reims, with the Magpies appearing set to get their man. Personal terms and agent fees were all that were needed to get this deal over the line.
Fast forward less than a month and the move is off. Newcastle have reportedly pulled out of the race for Ekitike, having grown tired of his agent’s demands.
The 20-year-old will now need to look elsewhere for a move, as the Magpies begin to pursue alternative options.
However, Waugh is refusing to totally write off a move to St James’ Park for Ekitike.
Waugh ‘wouldn’t be surprised’ if Ekitike’s agent comes back to Newcastle
The reporter has spoke about the Ekitike saga on the latest episode of Pod On The Tyne, and admitted that he doesn’t think it’s over just yet.
“I wouldn’t write it off completely,” he said.
“If Paris Saint-Germain don’t end up signing him and he has nowhere else to go, I wouldn’t be surprised if later in the summer the agent returns with his tail between his legs and tries to do a deal with Newcastle.
“Whether Newcastle have already signed someone by then is a different matter. But they do really like Ekitike. He has been a long term target, but at the minute it’s looking increasingly unlikely that that deal is going to happen, especially in the short term.”
PSG aren’t interested
It appears that talk of a move to PSG is pure fiction. They were reported to be keen around the time Newcastle allegedly walked away, but a report in France suggests that isn’t the case.
According to Le Parisien, PSG are not interested in Ekitike. They state that the Ligue 1 champions are merely being used to drive up the price.
If that is the case then Ekitike’s agent has got this terribly wrong. Newcastle desperately wanted the forward, but they have been forced to walk away. Now he could be left without anyone to join.
As Waugh says, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Ekitike’s agent returned to the table and tried to reignite a move to Newcastle. Whether the Magpies will want him is another question.
Eddie Howe and co clearly rate Ekitike – they’ve been trying to sign him all year. But negotiations with his agent may have completely soured the club’s opinion.
A lot of fans certainly wouldn’t be in favour of a move. They’ve been annoyed by the Ekitike saga, and want to see us look elsewhere.
It’s a difficult situation. He’s a talented player who ticks a lot of boxes for Newcastle, but the way this transfer saga has been handled should set alarm bells ringing.
The Magpies need a forward, and Ekitike wants a transfer. But this is no longer a match made in heaven, and his agent has ruined his client’s chances of becoming a Magpie in the immediate future.
For now, Newcastle need to look elsewhere and find a suitable alternative.
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