How Hugo Ekitike would fit in Arsenal transfer plans as Alexander Isak replacement revealed

Arsenal are reportedly following the situation surrounding Hugo Ekitike closely, which could see the striker become a Premier League player as a replacement for Alexander Isak.

Newcastle United are said to have made contact with the player's entourage three years after being turned down by the then-teenage centre-forward. During the 2022 winter transfer window, they agreed on a £33million deal with Reims, but Ekitike ended up staying put amid interest from Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain.

A summer move to the latter then materialised. However, after barely playing across 18 months in the French capital, he belatedly left for the Bundesliga, but to Eintracht Frankfurt, not Dortmund.

Ekitike has since rediscovered the form that first appealed to Newcastle, and Arsenal are thus credited with an interest, too. Sky Sport claims that is the case but acknowledges they do not appear likely to make an approach akin to the North East club.

The Athletic have also said Arsenal are not as high on Ekitike as Benjamin Sesko and Isak. However, he would be considerably less expensive to sign than the Newcastle player, with a reputed asking price of around £70 million, which is towards the top end of what the latter's release clause could reportedly cost.

Therefore, signing Ekitike would be more feasible for Arsenal's transfer plans and allow them to make further additions, especially if they miss out on Sesko. The striker's potential availability, though, could mean Newcastle are more open to allowing Isak to leave should they be able to sign a long-term target of theirs as a replacement.

They notably tried to sign him six months before the arrival of Isak, a move which materialised after PSG announced the addition of Ekitike. Whether or not Newcastle qualify for the Champions League could prove pivotal for the futures of both players, though.

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