£14m clause triggered for striker after accepted Newcastle United offer & snub

Hugo Ekitike has found a new home this summer - two years after turning down the opportunity to join Newcastle United.

The 21-year-old is currently on loan at Eintracht Frankfurt after joining from Paris Saint-Germain in January. The deal included an option to buy, and the Bundesliga side have wasted no time in triggering it.

As per transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Frankfurt will pay £14million for Ekitike having already paid a £3m loan fee. PSG have also inserted a sell-on clause as part of the agreement.

Ekitike twice turned down a move to St James’ Park in January and the summer of 2022. The Magpies agreed a reported £26m fee with Stade de Reims but talks with the player’s representatives proved frustrating as they held out for a move to PSG.

However, the switch hasn’t at all gone to plan. Ekitike has made 33 appearances for the French champions, his last coming in August before he was frozen out by Luis Enrique. There was reportedly interest from the likes of West Ham United and Crystal Palace last summer but Frankfurt got their man at the second attempt six months later.

After failing to score in his opening 11 matches for the German club, the forward finally found the net with a fine solo effort in a 3-1 win over FC Augsburg last week. It ended an unwanted run of 28 matches without a goal, stretching back to January 2023.

Ekitike’s snub, while it wound Newcastle fans up at the time, was likely a blessing in disguise. The Magpies went on to smash their club record transfer fee for Alexander Isak, who has netted an impressive 31 goals in 62 outings, since joining for £63m from Real Sociedad.