Newcastle United’s attempts to sign Hugo Ekitike from Reims in the January transfer window were covered strongly in both the French and English media.
The Magpies continued to look for another option in attack right until the end of the market. Ekitike was one player the Premier League club were making serious moves for, as they looked to get in anyone who could help them fight against relegation to the Championship.
With nine goals and three assists in 19 Ligue 1 matches so far this season, the 19-year-old has been attracting attention from other clubs. A move worth around €40m was pushed forward, and Newcastle were said to be ‘pressing’ for the transfer, even on deadline day.
That interest is unlikely to disappear, and the Magpies will have almost certainly had someone watching the player as his side beat Bordeaux 5-0 at the weekend.
Ekitike found the back of the net, and L’Equipe rated him as one of the best players on the pitch. He was given 7/10, which for the French newspaper is really good mark.L’Equipe further singled the player out as top of the ‘top picks’, with praise being showered on him.
