Stade Reims president Jean-Pierre Caillot has invited Newcastle United to make another move for star striker Hugo Ekitike.
He’s revealed that the highly-rated 19-year-old WILL be leaving the Ligue 1 side this summer, just a few months after he almost sealed a January move to Tyneside.
In the first few hours of deadline day, it was widely reported that we’d agreed a fee to bring the Frenchman to St James’ Park. However the player stayed put in the end, with some suggesting that he was advised against leaving home midway through his breakthrough season in senior football.
He’s struggled with a hamstring injury in recent months, but with 10 goals and four assists in 24 appearances for Stade Reims this season, the striker dubbed the ‘new Kylian Mbappe’ remains one of Europe’s top young prospects.
It seems our interest hasn’t faded either, with The Telegraph reporting last week that we’re expected to launch a fresh bid for the France U21 international we almost signed in January.
Here’s what Caillot told the French press when asked about the player’s future heading into the summer:
“In Hugo’s case, he would waste time staying with us.
“We refused an offer of €35million (£29m) this winter, which is a lot of money for a club like ours.
“That money will be used to grow and improve the club.
“Hugo will be allowed to go, and he’s probably going to leave.
“There wasn’t a big club that didn’t inquire for him.”
