Player who rejected £26m Newcastle United move suffers nightmare deadline day

Former Newcastle United transfer target Hugo Ekitike remains a Paris Saint-Germain player despite the French giants’ best efforts to offload him permanently on deadline day.

Ekitike twice turned down a move to St James’ Park in January and the summer last year, despite the Magpies agreeing a reported £26million fee with Stade de Reims. However, discussions with the player’s representatives stalled as they held out for a move to PSG.

He eventually joined the Ligue 1 champions on a season-long loan deal, which included a £29m obligation to buy, but the move hasn’t gone to plan.

The young forward has struggled to make an impact and his attitude was supposedly questioned throughout the 2022-23 season, where he scored four goals in 32 appearances but over half of those came off the bench.

PSG received offers from Eintracht Frankfurt and Zenit Saint Petersburg on Friday but Ekitike rejected both. It’s claimed the 21-year-old was only interested in joining Crystal Palace on loan but PSG refused. As a result, Ekitike is unlikely to play for PSG again.

How deadline day unfolded was explained by Sky Sports News’ Kaveh Solhekol. He said: “PSG made it clear to Hugo Ekitike that you don’t have a future at this club, you have to leave.

“We’re being told the player was intent on going to Crystal Palace but only on loan - he just wanted a loan move to Palace and nothing else.

“So, PSG had an offer from Frankfurt for €35m permanent and he said ‘I’m not interested’. They had an offer from Zenit St Petersburg of €40m - not interested.

“PSG refused the loan offer to Crystal Palace, they weren’t willing to let him go on loan to a Premier League. We’re told West Ham were also in for him.

“And now, the deadline has gone and he’s still at PSG and the message from PSG is ‘you are not going to play one more minute for us.

“There is an escape clause for him because some windows are still open. For instance, I think in Russia the window is still open for another five or 10 days. And if anyone from Saudi wants him.

“I think PSG are going to work hard over the next few days to try and get him out of the club.

“This is only from the French side, not the Premier League clubs that he just wanted Palace on loan only, that’s all he was interested in.”

Newcastle and PSG meet in the Champions League group stage.