Reims president, Jean-Pierre Caillot has confirmed that he expects Newcastle target, Hugo Ekitike to leave this summer as reported in The Chronicle.
The 19-year-old forward almost joined Eddie Howe’s men in January but opted to stay in France with Reims until the end of the season claiming that it “wasn’t the right time” to move.
Ekitike has attracted the attention of several clubs other than Newcastle, including French champions, PSG, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and fellow Premiership side, West Ham.
Newcastle are definitely in the market for new attacking options with the likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Darwin Nunez linked with a switch to Tyneside, however Ekitke would be seen as a different prospect to the aforementioned strikers due to his age. Ekitike wouldn’t likely be thrown into the deep end and given time to get to grips with the pace of the Premier League, whereas Nunez or Calvert-Lewin would be expected to hit the ground running.
Jean-Pierre Caillot has tipped Newcastle to come back with a renewed bid and seems to think a move to St James’ Park would be the ideal next step after suggesting it may be too soon for him to move to the likes of PSG or Dortmund. In the interview he said: “He has the qualities to one day join this type of club, but I think it’s still too early.”
And with regards to Newacastle, adding: “It’s typically the kind of environment where he could continue to grow and move on.”