Newcastle launch ambitious transfer move to beat Liverpool and Man Utd to Hugo Ekitike

Newcastle are planning to rekindle their interest in Hugo Ekitike as Eddie Howe looks for someone to compete with Alexander Isak.

And the Telegraph report that the Toon have made the French star’s agent aware of their desire to bring him from Eintracht Frankfurt to St James’ Park having twice failed to land him in 2022.

Ekitike, who scored 22 goals and contributed 12 assists last season, has a release clause of €100m (£86m) and Eintracht are under no financial pressure to sell. After being linked with Chelsea earlier in the summer, he has also been monitored by Liverpool and Manchester United.

On Friday Newcastle confirmed the £55m signing of Anthony Elanga from Nottingham Forest, meaning Howe has two options on either flank heading into the new season but only Isak to count at centre forward following Callum Wilson’s departure.

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READ MORE: Callum Wilson opens up on his next club after ending Newcastle stay: "It's now confirmed"

Wilson says he is weighing up a number of offers before deciding his next club. And the striker, 33, who left Newcastle last month, is jetting off for an individual training camp before making up his mind as he aims to continue his career “for a few more years.”

Wilson has been working as a pundit for DAZN at the Club World Cup while weighing up offers and said: “I don’t want to leave it too long before making a decision.

“I’ve continued to keep myself fit during the off season and it’s now confirmed that I will be joining a new club at some point. I want to go in there hitting the ground running so I’m going into a fitness camp abroad and then I’ll get up my sharpness. Then I’ll make a decision and when I’m back in the UK I’ll be joining the new team.”

Wilson, who has been previously linked with Everton and Leeds, said he has drawn a line under his five-year spell at St James’ Park and speaks glowingly of manager Eddie Howe.

But officially leaving on June 30 has offered him clarity following a troubled spell with injuries as he struggled to displace top scorer Isak. I feel strong and I feel in a good place mentally,” he added. “I’m content in terms of the situation now. I know I’ve left Newcastle, so that’s kind of one less decision I need to make going forward.”

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