Soccer Football - Bundesliga - SC Freiburg v Eintracht Frankfurt - Europa Park Stadion, Freiburg, Germany - May 17, 2025 Eintracht Frankfurt's Hugo Ekitike celebrates after the match as Eintracht Frankfurt finish the Bundesliga season in third place to qualify for the Champions League REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach DFL REGULATIONS PROHIBIT ANY USE OF PHOTOGRAPHS AS IMAGE SEQUENCES AND/OR QUASI-VIDEO.
Newcastle United are currently preparing for the new season at a training camp in Austria, but back home on Tyneside, another first-team signing is being pursued.
The Magpies’ return to Champions League football comes just a few months after securing fifth place in the Premier League table.
While they were expected to be busy in the summer transfer window, they had a slow start to their recruitment drive, missing out on several targets before finally completing a deal for Anthony Elanga last week.
Now it appears the North East giants are in full swing, looking to secure players for crucial roles, with Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie revealing that the next move is for a striker.
Following the departure of Callum Wilson, it was thought that bringing in depth and rotation for Alexander Isak would be the top priority.
However, recent updates suggest the club may be moving in a different direction.
After days of speculation surrounding a potential reignition of interest in Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike, The Athletic’s David Ornstein confirmed last night that a formal approach has been made.
Writing on the social media platform X, Ornstein reported:
“Newcastle United working on deal to sign Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt. Not yet agreed or close to being done, but talks continue over potential deal ~€75m.
NUFC want 23yo #SGE forward to play alongside Alexander Isak. W/@SebSB @TheAthleticFC”
How much will Hugo Ekitike cost?
The most intriguing takeaway from Ornstein’s update is that Ekitike is expected to play alongside Isak next season, suggesting that Eddie Howe could be planning a significant tactical shift away from his usual 4-3-3 formation.
There are many possibilities for how the starting eleven could line up if Newcastle complete the signing of Ekitike, but the approach could mirror how Frankfurt operated with Ekitike and Marmoush.
The 23-year-old and the Egyptian forward enjoyed an outstanding partnership, scoring a combined 28 goals and registering 16 assists in total before Marmoush was sold to Manchester City in January 2025.
Now, the Newcastle boss could look to replicate that strike force with Isak and Ekitike, aiming to boost goal contributions and help the club claim more silverware, while establishing themselves as a consistent force in European football.
Ekitike’s former Stade Reims coach, Oscar Garcia, has offered insight into the profile of the player Newcastle could be acquiring:
“He is not the kind of striker who will always be in the box waiting for a cross. He is very mobile and very difficult to mark. He likes to use his pace to run into the channels.
He can fit into teams that play more on the counter-attack but also with teams that have more possession, because he has the skill for both styles.
You do not find many strikers like him at his age. He is tall, fast, mobile, very good one-on-one, holds the ball up and scores goals.”
According to Ornstein, a deal worth around £65m is currently being discussed.
However, the talented forward has a release clause of £86m, so it will be interesting to see whether Newcastle can convince Frankfurt to agree to a lower fee.
About the Author
