Newcastle ‘Target €100 Million Striker’ Chased by Man Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea | OneFootball

Newcastle United have reignited their interest in Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitiké for a third time, reports have confirmed.

The Magpies were ahead of the curve when it comes to the French forward. They had a bid accepted by then-employers Stade Reims in January 2022, only for Ekitiké to reject the chance to move to St James’ Park.

A deal worth in excess of £20 million (€23.1 million, $27 million) was on the table six months later but Ekitiké, once again, turned down Newcastle’s advances in favour of a move to Paris Saint-Germain.

Clearly hoping the third time will be the charm, The Telegraph were first to reveal that Newcastle are back at the table for Ekitiké, who is seen as a potentially complimentary piece alongside current star striker Alexander Isak, rather than a hypothetical replacement.

Unfortunately for Newcastle, the path to a deal for Ekitiké is nowhere near as clear as it was three years ago. First and foremost, his return of 15 goals and eight assists in 33 appearances last season has prompted a price tag of €100 million (£86.6 million, $116.8 million).

Ekitiké has twice rejected a move to Newcastle. / IMAGO/DeFodi Images

That form has, unsurprisingly, sparked interest from Europe’s elite. Florian Plettenberg names Liverpool and Manchester United as suitors, while Chelsea are admirers but are unlikely to pursue such an expensive deal following the arrivals of both Liam Delap and João Pedro earlier this summer.

Frankfurt director Markus Krösche has already made it abundantly clear that the Bundesliga side will not sell Ekitiké if their demands are not met, warning those chasing his signature that they will have to shell out €100 million to get a deal done.

It must be stressed that Newcastle are envisaging a future with both Isak and Ekitiké. Indeed, there are plans to offer the former a new contract that could make him the highest earner in club history.

Finding cover for Isak is a key priority for Newcastle, who have lost Callum Wilson on a free transfer. 21-year-old Will Osula is the only natural alternative in Eddie Howe’s current squad.