Hugo Ekitike is ‘probably going to leave’ Reims this summer amid interest from Premier League giants Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United, the Ligue 1 club’s president tells Europa One.
Jean-Pierre Caillot has been open about this from the very beginning.
He will not stand in Ekitike’s way once Reims receive an offer they deem acceptable for one of the most exciting young strikers in European football. What passes for ‘acceptable’, however, is anyone’s guess.
Caillot confirms that Reims have already turned down a £29 million bid from Newcastle United but some reports have suggested that Ekitike may be available for a knockdown fee in the region of £25 million this summer.
Arsenal have sent a scout to watch the 19-year-old in action (But Football Club). Tottenham too.
West Ham, meanwhile, made a bid of their own in January, albeit much lower than the one put forward by their nouveau-riche rivals from the north east.
Which club will sign Hugo Ekitike?
“In Hugo’s case, he would his waste time staying with us,” Caillot explains.
“We refused an offer of 35 million euros this winter (from Newcastle), 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.”
Ekitike, a former France U20 international who was plying his trade on loan at Velje Boldklub in Denmark just last year, has ten goals during his breakthrough season at the Stade Auguste Delaune.
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“We have to recruit very well up front because we may lose our top scorer,” Reims’ former Brighton coach Garcia said a couple of weeks ago, admitting that the club are unlikely to retain Ekitike’s services for another season.
“Our second-best striker has only two goals. When you look at Rennes, they have (Serhou) Guirassy with eight or nine goals on the bench. Our best striker only has nine (in the league).”
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