Hugo Ekitike regrets ‘dream’ PSG move after knocking Newcastle United back twice

In January 2022, Toon chiefs were scrambling for survival in the early throes of the Saudi-backed regime. A striker was essential - and Newcastle made a deadline-day approach for Ekitike who, at the time, was enjoying a breakout campaign at Reims.

The offer was accepted but he rejected the move, with the last-minute nature and Newcastle’s precarious situation proving stumbling blocks. Fast forward to the summer and the Magpies were interested again - but this time would leave the table with a sour taste in their mouths.

Despite a package worth around £25million being accepted, the move stalled. Ekitke’s agent, Karl Mwalako Buchmann, angered Newcastle fans by revealing that PSG was the preferred destination from day one.

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The youngster made the switch but struggled to break into a star-studded line-up that included Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar. He was eventually frozen out before securing an escape to Eintracht Frankfurt last summer.

Now aged 22, Ekitike’s career is back on track, with 18 goals across all competitions fuelling potential Premier League interest. The Frenchman has opened up about a turbulent two years at PSG - which gave Newcastle the last laugh after a long-winded transfer saga.

"I was arriving in Messi and Neymar's last year," Ekitike told L'Equipe. "Go and get them out? You can't. They have to play, they're the best players in the world.

"You're behind, you're trying to save time. Two minutes, 15 minutes, two matches on the bench then 60 minutes...there's no lying in football. Only continuity makes you a player who can count.

"I'm never going to say that I did everything well. I could have done better - that's the truth - but they (PSG) didn't help me do better. They didn't give me confidence. Even during training, even through discussions, they never really took the time to talk to me to be able to help me. I found myself in a situation where I was forced to get by.

"Even in a match, I had to think about how I moved so as not to hinder any player so that the team could function. All that, mixed with a confidence that wasn't at its maximum, with a different football… That's a lot of information that meant it didn't work, but I learned a lot."