Newcastle United’s fate is sealed as striker secures £79 million departure

Hugo Ekitike is due to have a medical at Liverpool tomorrow after turning off interest from Newcastle United.

Hugo Ekitike is on the verge of joining for Liverpool and will have a physical after negotiating a £79 million transfer.

Newcastle United and Eintracht Frankfurt discussed a potential deal for the Frenchman. Toon bosses were already familiar with Ekitike, who had been rejected twice before in 2022.

Eddie Howe was hoping for third time lucky after being turned down by Joao Pedro, who joined Chelsea earlier this month. However, Ekitike has turned down Newcastle again and is on his way to Anfield for a physical.

Alexander Isak’s interest

The next £10 million is thought to be realistic add-ons, and the transaction will bring Liverpool’s total investment to £300 million. Despite winning the Premier League last season, Arne Slot is leading a mini-rebranding effort.

Alexander Isak is suspected to be a target, and a cheeky inquiry was conducted last week. It’s unclear if the Reds are still interested now that Ekitike is on his way.

Newcastle left Isak out of the team for Saturday’s 4-0 defeat to Celtic. Howe told reporters that uncertainty over the Swede’s future influenced his choice.

Awkward Hugo Ekitike’s date is fixed.

Ekitike will have the opportunity to greet Toon supporters on August 25, his first away game as a Liverpool player. If he receives a lukewarm reception on Tyneside, the 23-year-old will have no complaints.

In actuality, Newcastle are probably more to blame this time around for failing to complete the deal. The Magpies were aware of Eintracht Frankfurt’s demands, but they offered £10 million less.

Ekitike’s preference for Liverpool became evident as soon as they declared their interest. Undoubtedly, the player will suffer blowback when the Reds visit St James’ Park next month.

Hugo Ekitike on PSG’s collapse.

Ekitike discussed his failure at Paris Saint-Germain with the press last season. He told L’Equipe, “I was arriving at Messi and Neymar’s last year.” Go get them out? You cannot. They have to play; they are the world’s top players.

“You’re behind, and you’re attempting to save time. Football does not allow for lying, whether it’s for two minutes, 15 minutes, or two matches on the bench, followed by 60 minutes. Only consistency can transform you into a reliable player.

“I will never claim that I did everything well. I could have done better, and they (PSG) did not help me do so. They did not give me confidence. Even throughout training and talks, they never took the time to talk to me so that they could help me. I found myself in a circumstance where I needed to get by.

“Even during a match, I had to consider how I moved so as not to impede any player and allow the squad to function. Combined with a lack of confidence and a distinct football style, That was a lot of knowledge, so it didn’t work, but I learnt a lot.”

Tottenham Hotspur threaten to ‘hijack’ Newcastle United’s deal for a £50 million-rated star

Tottenham Hotspur might become the latest team to ‘hijack’ a Newcastle United transfer this summer, following reports of interest in Yoane Wissa.

Newcastle United news: Headlines, team updates, match previews, and reports – everything NUFC.

Newcastle United have already lost a number of transfer targets this summer in what has been a difficult window for Tyneside. The Magpies still have time to make this summer a success, but after losing Liam Delap, Bryan Mbeumo, Joao Pedro, and Hugo Ekitike this summer, they will be hoping to escape the same fate between now and Monday, September 1.

Chelsea, Manchester United, and Liverpool benefited from Newcastle United’s actions, as the club shopped in the top markets for players. However, they cannot afford to have too many more transfer targets join their Premier League opponents, as a number of areas in Eddie Howe’s side still require strengthening.

One of these priority areas is upfront. Callum Wilson’s departure leaves them desperately short of striker alternatives, with Alexander Isak serving as the club’s sole recognised senior striker.

Will Osula is still inexperienced and has yet to start a Premier League game for the Magpies. In an emergency, Anthony Gordon and Anthony Elanga could fill in for Isak, but having a backup plan is critical.

Delap could have played that role, but a transfer to Stamford Bridge and the prospect of more first-team football influenced his decision. Ekitike was also mentioned as a candidate, and while it was feasible to play both him and Isak on the same squad, Liverpool’s desire, like PSG’s three years before, made a deal for the Frenchman nearly impossible.

Tottenham Hotspur will ‘hijack’ a move for Yoane Wissa.

Newcastle’s search for a new striker has reportedly led them to Brentford player Yoane Wissa. Wissa scored 19 Premier League goals last season and is desired by several clubs this summer, including Nottingham Forest.

Wissa has also piqued the interest of St James’ Park, but there are two major obstacles to clear before they can complete a deal for the Bees forward. Brentford has already negotiated a deal with Manchester United for Bryan Mbeumo, and the club will be very reluctant to lose both Mbeumo and Wissa this summer.

The second is that if they agree to sell the striker, who is valued at £50 million, Tottenham Hotspur may compete for his signature. Tottenham are now managed by Thomas Frank, who previously worked with Wissa at the Gtech Community Stadium.

Frank and Wissa’s connection, along with the London element, may be too much for Newcastle United to overcome in convincing the 28-year-old to move to St James’ Park instead. The Europa League winners also have Champions League football to offer any new arrivals this summer, and they have already displayed their financial capabilities by acquiring West Ham’s Mohammed Kudus.

Kudus, who was also targeted by Newcastle United, joined Tottenham for more than £50 million earlier this summer. Newcastle will play a pre-season friendly against Frank’s team in South Korea on Sunday, August 10.

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