Hugo Ekitike: Newcastle United in £25m deadline-day talks in bid to beat West Ham to deal – Sources
Newcastle United are working on a £25million beat-the-deadline deal to sign Reims striker Hugo Ekitike, Football Insider understands.
The forward, 19, has been a target for Newcastle throughout this month’s transfer window, but Reims’ asking price has been a stumbling block.
A Newcastle source has told Football Insider that Newcastle are now holding talks over a late move for £25million-valued Ekitike.
West Ham have also held talks over a deal for Ekitike, but Eddie Howe has called on the club to beat their Premier League rivals to the deal by Monday night.
Speaking to French publication Le Quotidien Du Sport on 19 January, Reims president Jean-Pierre Caillot confirmed Newcastle tabled a bid worth a potential £29.3million (€35million) for Ekitike earlier this month.
However, Caillot revealed a significant portion of the bid was made up of bonuses that will see Reims receive extra funds if Newcastle win the Champions League.
Ekitike only made his senior Reims debut at the start of the current season but has impressed in Ligue 1.
To date, he has scored eight goals and chipped in with three assists in 19 league games.
He returned to the Reims side for 23 January’s game against PSG after picking up a straight red card in 2 January’s 1-0 Coupe de France win over ES Thaon.
Newcastle have already signed Kieran Trippier, Chris Wood and Bruno Guimaraes this month.
Guimaraes is the latest player to arrive at St James Park, with the club announcing his arrival yesterday (30 January).
West Ham are yet to sign a striker this month with Michail Antonio the only senior striker available to David Moyes.
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