Newcastle United handed second chance to land forward after two previous snubs

Newcastle United could have an opportunity to sign a forward they have moved for in two of the last three transfer windows.

The final day of the January 2022 window proved to be hectic one for the Magpies as they looked to boost their relegation-threatened squad. The signings of Matt Targett and Dan Burn were confirmed later in the day - but the early hours were dominated by talk of progress in a move for Reims’ highly-rated forward Hugo Ekitike. The youngster opted against a move to Tyneside after a deal was agreed between the two clubs and he was to snub the Magpies for a second time last summer when he accepted an offer to join Paris Saint-Germain on a season-long loan.

Speaking shortly after opting for a move to the French capital ahead of Newcastle, Ekitike told La Parisian: “I had an appointment with Luis (Campos, PSG advisor) which meant a lot to me. It was not so long ago. We talked a lot, he is someone I value a lot. I wanted to come to PSG before this exchange, but he convinced me even more.

“I’m not setting aside everything Newcastle did for me to come. If I had to go abroad, I would have gone there. But when PSG wants you and you’re French, you can’t refuse.”

However, life at the Parc des Princes has been far from straightforward for the youngster after the form of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe limited his involvement throughout the season. Ekitike scored just four goals and provided four assists in 32 appearances in all competitions, making just 14 starts across the campaign.

Despite his underwhelming return, PSG still opted to activate a clause in Ekitike’s loan deal to make him a permanent member of their squad last month. However, it now seems likely he will be allowed to leave the Ligue 1 champions this summer after RMC Sport reported PSG are ‘open to a departure’ and have already informed the forward’s agent of their intentions.

The report also goes on to state PSG are considering a move for two players that have been linked with Newcastle in recent months, with Napoli frontman Victor Osimhen and Borussia Monchengladbach forward Marcus Thuram said to be on their list of targets.