Newcastle zero in on striker Hugo Ekitike despite £86 million release clause

Telegraph

12-07-2025

Newcastle United have rekindled their interest in French forward Hugo Ekitike as they look to find a striker to play alongside Alexander Isak.
Having missed out on Brazil international Joao Pedro earlier this month, when he preferred a move from Brighton to Chelsea, Newcastle are still hoping to sign another striker in this window.
With Champions League football and three domestic competitions to contend with next season, Newcastle cannot expect Isak to play in every game and need to rotate their forwards.
Manager Eddie Howe has two players on the left in Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes, and having completed the £55m signing of Anthony Elanga from Nottingham Forest, he also has two players on the right with Jacob Murphy set to compete with the Sweden international.
However, Isak does not have similar competition or cover, with Denmark Under-21 international William Osula the only other senior striker at the club following the departure of Callum Wilson.
In June, Telegraph Sport revealed that Newcastle were still tracking Ekitike, but should they pull off the transfer it will be a major coup given how well he has played in the Bundesliga for Eintracht Frankfurt and for the France Under-21 side.
Given the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea have all been linked with a move for the 23-year-old this summer, there is naturally caution on the Newcastle side, but they are looking into the possibility of doing a deal with the German side.
Telegraph Sport understands Newcastle have made the player's representatives aware of their desire to sign the France Under-21 international and will hope to agree a fee with the Bundesliga club.
Ekitike has a release clause of around €100 million (£86 million) and Newcastle would almost certainly have to pay the full fee to get the transfer over the line.
Newcastle are right to be wary. They have tried to sign Ekitike twice before, first in January 2022 and again in the summer window later that year.
A deal was close to being completed on both occasions until the player decided to join Paris St-Germain. He failed to secure regular first-team football in Paris and signed for Frankfurt in 2024.
Ekitike scored 22 goals with 12 assists in all competitions last season and helped secure Eintracht Champions League football.
Should Newcastle complete the signing of the Frenchman it does not mean Isak will be sold this summer. The Newcastle hierarchy still intend to offer last season's top goalscorer a new contract later this summer and have no interest in selling him in this window, when he still has three years left on his existing deal.