Another one bites the dust for West Ham United and Newcastle United as German giants Bayern Munich close on striker.
Young French striker Hugo Ekitike was one of the headline names of the January transfer window and will certainly be familiar to fans of West Ham and Newcastle.
David Moyes and Eddie Howe were reportedly battling it out to sign Stade Reims striker Ekitike a few months ago.
French outlets Le10Sport and Get French Football News – as well as Sky Sports – revealed that West Ham had submitted bids to Reims for the rapid 19-year-old who has been compared to Thierry Henry and Kylian Mbappe.
In the end neither West Ham or Newcastle could get a deal done for the exciting Ekitike.
West Ham and Newcastle were said to be ready to revisit a move for the striker in the summer transfer window, which opens next month on June 10th (But! Football Club – as also reported by GFFN).
Off Hugo: Another one bites the dust for West Ham and Newcastle as Germans close on striker Ekitike
Indeed just yesterday Newcastle were reported as “favourites” to sign Ekitike this summer (Northern Echo).
But now it looks set to be a case of ‘off Hugo’ as another one bites the dust for West Ham and Newcastle with German giants Bayern Munich closing in on Ekitike.
That’s according to a new report from Get French Football News – quoting ’90 Football’.
“90 Football report that Bayern Munich are leading the race to sign Reims striker Hugo Ekitike, ahead of the likes of Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus and Sevilla…” Get French Football News reports.
“His entourage are said to be convinced by the prospect of having the striker play for the Bundesliga side, who have made him one of their priority signings.”
West Ham and Newcastle may well be clubs on the up, both with fantastic fanbases.
But the reality is neither can compete with Bayern Munich – one of the ultimate elite clubs in world football.
So it seems both West Ham and Newcastle will have to turn their attentions elsewhere.
Moyes is desperate for at least one new striker this summer as there is a huge over-reliance on Michail Antonio who has seriously struggled this year.
Off Hugo: Another one bites the dust for West Ham and Newcastle
And Howe is believed to have only signed Chris Wood as a stop-gap striker signing designed to help keep the Magpies up ahead another spending splurge come the summer.
It is a great shame for fans of West Ham and Newcastle because Ekitike is brimming with promise, as the video below shows.