Newcastle United are set to hijack Chelsea's top target as they prepare to make a record-breaking offer
- Sounak Sinha
- 9 hours ago
- 2 min read
Newcastle United have set their eyes on Eintracht Frankfurt's star striker Hugo Ekitike, who has been Chelsea's target since the beginning of the summer. The 23-year-old added 15 goals and 8 assists to his name in the Bundesliga last season, helping his side to finish in third position in the points table.
As per BBC Sport, Newcastle are exploring a potential deal to sign Ekitike, as they prepare to make a £80m offer for the Frenchman, which will be a record fee for the Magpies. It is also reported that Frankfurt's high valuation of their striker was the reason why Chelsea decided to stop their chase for him.
Despite the strong interest in Ekitike, it is being said that the Toons have no intention of selling their talismanic number nine, Alexander Isak, in order to gather funds for their transfer budget, despite the Swede being linked to multiple clubs across Europe, especially Liverpool.
A serious roadblock for Newcastle in their pursuit of Ekitike
At the moment, the high valuation for Hugo Ekitike might not convince the Magpies, as it would require them to break the record signing, which was previously set while securing Alexander Isak's move in 2022, costing a staggering £63m.
However, what is a massive breakthrough for Newcastle is that Ekitike is reported to be convinced by Eddie Howe's project at St James Park, with his team finishing fifth in the Premier League last season and qualifying for the Champions League, allowing the Frenchman to play in the top competition in Europe.
Recently, Newcastle completed Anthony Elanga's signing from Nottingham Forest, which cost them a hefty £55m, as they aim to strengthen their squad and bolster their frontline for the new campaign.
If the Magpies are able to get their hands on Ekitike, Eddie Howe would have tremendous options in the frontline, consisting of Elanga, Isak, and Hugo Ekitike, while also having star players like Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes at his disposal.
