Newcastle United, focused on signing Hugo Ekitike (23, Eintracht Frankfurt), is wary of Chelsea's 'hijacking' possibility in the Premier League.
According to British 'TalkSport,' on the 16th (Korean time), Newcastle is preparing the club's highest transfer fee of £78 million (about 144.9 billion won) to finalize the signing of Ekitike, but Chelsea is also eyeing Ekitike in case Nicolas Jackson (24) leaves.
Currently, Newcastle's all-time highest transfer fee was recorded at €70 million (about 112.8 billion won) with the signings of Alexander Isak in 2022 and Sandro Tonali in 2023.
The reason Newcastle is concerned is due to Ekitike's agent, Ali Barat. Barat has already facilitated numerous deals with Chelsea. Notably, he transferred Moisés Caicedo to Chelsea for £115 million (about 213.7 billion won), which was the highest transfer fee in the UK at the time.
Barat is also the agent for Jackson. Chelsea is considering selling Jackson after acquiring João Pedro from Brighton. Chelsea had previously snatched Pedro and Liam Delap, who were set to head to Newcastle.
Ekitike recorded 22 goals and 12 assists in 48 official matches for Frankfurt this season. Among these, he achieved 23 attacking points (15 goals and 8 assists) in the Bundesliga.
Ekitike, originally from Stade de Reims in France, was loaned to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in 2022 and then transferred permanently the following year. He was then loaned to Frankfurt in February 2024 and has since been re-signed permanently.
Ekitike is considered a center forward but is known for his broad range of activities. He actively participates in attacking maneuvers both within the box and on the flanks, as well as in the second line. He is said to shine more in a two-striker formation than as a sole striker.
If Ekitike joins Chelsea, he is expected to significantly contribute to the attacking power under manager Enzo Maresca. Pedro has already scored three goals, including one in the final of the Club World Cup against PSG, and is adapting well to Chelsea.
Liam Delap has also scored in the group stage of the Club World Cup against Espérance Sportive de Tunis. If Ekitike joins, it will complete the puzzle of Chelsea's attack.
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