Exclusive: Newcastle considering Hugo Ekitike on loan but PSG want January sale

Newcastle could reignite their interest in PSG forward Hugo Ekitike, who is surplus to requirements at the Parc des Princes.

Ekitike was not named in PSG’s Champions League squad so won’t face Newcastle when the sides meet on Tuesday. The 21-year-old has made just one appearance this season and scored only four goals since joining PSG from Reims in 2022, initially on a loan deal with a mandatory €35m purchase, inclusive of bonuses.

Despite that fee only kicking in this year, PSG don’t view Ekitike’s future in Paris. They also tried to sell him over the summer and weren’t short of suitors.

Frankfurt made a €35m offer and Zenit bid €40m, but the French forward rejected both advances, holding out instead for a move to the Premier League which never materialised despite Crystal Palace, West Ham and Everton’s best efforts.

Ekitike wanted the Palace switch on a season-long loan allowing him to keep his options open and reassess during the summer, but PSG refused to give him such freedom. They would have only sanctioned a loan to Selhurst Park with a mandatory buy clause.

Sources indicate that the French champions were disappointed with Ekitike’s handling of the situation, feeling he strung along both PSG and several suitors, focusing more on money than his career.

Ekitike’s agent, Karl Mwalako Buchmann, has proven a tough negotiator and asked for high agent fees during several historical negotiations, including with Newcastle in 2022. Although Buchmann argues he’s simply fighting for his client’s best interests, several well-placed industry sources insist clubs were put off by the financial demands surrounding multiple potential exits that never happened.

Things are now relatively tense between Ekitike and PSG. Ekitike is frustrated