West Ham United and Crystal Palace interested in January transfer for Hugo Ekitike?

After spending last season on loan from Reims, Ekitike joined PSG on a permanent transfer after the obligation to buy was activated in his original loan deal.

 

Despite signing a four-year contract with the French champions, Ekitike is expected to leave the French capital before the summer transfer deadline.

Although no move has yet been made, a recent report claims the 21-year-old will leave the club in January after being deemed surplus to requirements.

Ekitike appeared to have fallen down the pecking order following the arrivals of Randal Kolo Muani and Goncalo Ramos, who joined the club from Eintracht Frankfurt and Benfica respectively.

In addition to these two new additions, French international Kylian Mbappé can also play centrally, giving Luis Enrique enough ability to play as a central striker. Ekitike has only played eight minutes for PSG this season and he was left out of the squad for the club’s last two matches against Lyon and Nice.

With a release planned for January, Football Insider reports that West Ham and Crystal Palace could reignite their interest when the winter transfer window opens.

The Hammers are in talks over a potential summer move, while Palace were also linked with Ekitike before the transfer window closed abruptly on September 1.

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According to Football Insider, Crystal Palace and West Ham United could consider the possibility of signing Hugo Ekitike in January. The 21-year-old prospect appears to have no future at Paris Saint-Germain as the French giants have actively sought to sell him over the summer. Hugo Ekitike made his mark during his time at boyhood club Stade de Reims. The 2021/22 season saw the 21-year-old prospect score 11 goals and provide four assists, prompting PSG to make an offer to their Ligue 1 colleagues for the striker.

PSG agreed to loan the striker with an obligation to buy at the end of the 2022/23 season, which they did for more than 28 million euros. Ekitike had only a modest first season at the club, scoring 4 goals in 32 appearances. In the current season, he appeared briefly in the opening week but has not been introduced by Luis Enrique since then. The fact that he wants to transfer at the end of the transfer window could affect his current situation. First, PSG have acquired two big-name strikers, Goncalo Ramos and Randal Kolo Muani, which only guarantees Ekitike a few opportunities.

In addition, PSG wants the striker to join Eintracht Frankfurt as part of the Kolo Muani deal. The promising 21-year-old has rejected the idea of ​​the German club and may want to join a Premier League side where interest is high.

West Ham and Crystal Palace were interested in the striker during the transfer window as they considered signing a new frontman. The Premier League duo may still retain their interest and could meet Ekitike again in the January transfer window

West Ham wants to replace Gianluca Scamacca and try different options. They are extremely interested in Elye Wahi but the former Montpellier star turned down the Englishman’s offer to sign for Lens in Ligue 1.

The Hammers then turned their attention to Ekitike in the hope of attracting the striker. However, the troubles surrounding PSG’s recruitment of Kolo Muani have made things difficult for the 21-year-old player’s hopes of joining the Premier League.

Meanwhile, Palace wants to sell Jean-Philippe Mateta to buy a new striker and has considered a number of options. Ekitike was on their shortlist but never attracted anyone. They are also aware of their opponents’ interest in Ekitike, with Everton also approaching.

However, the French striker could find a way to leave if his conditions at PSG remain the same.