PSG set to cut losses on 'new Mbappe' on transfer deadline day

Suraj Radia

• 1 Feb 2024 17:44 GMT
• 3 min read

Paris Saint-Germain thought they had pulled off a massive coup by signing one of the brightest young prospects in French football in 2022 but the transfer of Hugo Ekitike has proven to be a disaster, with the wonderkid completing a move away on deadline day.

Ekitike was coveted by a host of clubs after bursting onto the scene with Reims during the 2021/22 season, scoring ten goals in 24 Ligue 1 games as a 19-year-old.

The forward was labelled by some as 'the next Kylian Mbappe', having come close to his scoring records as a teenager, and Newcastle made a big-money approach for him in January 2022, however he opted against joining the Premier League side to explore his options at the end of the season.

Newcastle came calling once more in the summer but Ekitike again rejected the move, instead joining PSG on loan, with the deal being made permanent the following year for €35 million.

The decision was criticised at the time, with Ekitike reportedly wanting to join a bigger club than Newcastle despite the Magpies offering him an established place in their first team.

Instead, Ekitike gambled on making himself a success at PSG, however his time with the Parisians was disappointing and filled with limited game time and the 21-year-old has now joined Eintracht Frankfurt.

Ekitike looking to make up for lost time

Frankfurt had attempted to sign Ekitike in the summer but a deal could not be agreed despite PSG signing Randal Kolo Muani from the Bundesliga side at the same time.

The deal for Kolo Muani pushed Ekitike further down the pecking order and the youngster has played just nine minutes of football this year, having only made 12 starts last season.

Ekitike’s transfer to Frankfurt represents an opportunity for the striker to fulfil his potential and make up for lost time after seeing his career stall in Paris.

There may be regrets from Ekitike on how he handled his previous transfers but, having seen Kolo Muani thrive at Frankfurt, it is clear that he is in a much better place to develop and focus on getting back to playing regular football.

The transfer was yet to be confirmed officially by Frankfurt as of the deadline in Germany, however it is understood to be completed as a loan with an option to buy for €30m in the summer.