Hugo Ekitike of Eintracht Frankfurt is being pursued by Arsenal as a replacement for Alexander Isak of Newcastle.
The Gunners might be priced out as the Carabao Cup winners hold out for £150 million, and Toon star Isak, 25, is the most sought-after striker in international football.
Several Premier League clubs have expressed interest in 22-year-old Frenchman Ekitike and have requested to be notified of his possible availability.
A player with 19 goals this season is projected to fetch roughly £60 million from German team Frankfurt.
Before Magpies officials bought Swede Isak in the summer transfer window, Ekitike was a target for Newcastle in January 2022 after the forward turned down a move to St. James’ Park.
After arriving permanently from Paris Saint-Germain last summer after a loan stint, the France Under-21 international has excelled in the Bundesliga. He scored a hat-trick against Lee Carsley’s Young Lions on Friday.
This season, he has also contributed eight assists for Frankfurt across all competitions.
Ekitike chipped the ball over goalie James Beadle and scored twice from close range, including one back-heeled finish, in the 5-3 victory over England U21s.
The former PSG player is eager to step up and wants a move to a Champions League team after making an impression in the Bundesliga and Europa League.
Since several teams are looking for a new No. 9, Ekitike is anticipated to leave this summer even though he does not have a release clause.
On April 10 and 17, Frankfurt will play Tottenham in a two-leg Europa League quarterfinal, giving the striker an opportunity to impress English suitors.
Given that Arsenal is expected to finish second in the Premier League for a THIRD consecutive year, Mikel Arteta needs a hotshot.
Due to injury, the Gunners manager has been lacking in attack after missing out on signing a forward during the last two transfer windows.
Arsenal has scored 16 less goals — 69 to 53 — than the defending champions and has drawn 10 Premier League games compared to champions-elect Liverpool’s seven.
Due to the absence of Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, and Bukayo Saka, Arteta has been forced to employ midfielder Mikel Merino as an emergency striker.
However, a number of Premier League competitors are expected to compete with Emirates’ leaders.
Given Nicolas Jackson’s difficulties and injuries this season, Chelsea is in dire need of a No. 9 player.
Ekitike is also viewed by Manchester United as an improvement over Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund.
Another possible target for the Gunners is Sporting star Viktor Gyokeres, who is also expected to rejoin former manager Ruben Amorim at United.
Ten strikers that might be traded this summerAlmost all of the major sporting directors are faced with a conundrum this summer when Andrea Berta starts at Arsenal.
The new transfer guru for the Gunners will have to identify the striker that many believe can help Mikel Arteta’s team win a championship. However, Berta is not the only one looking for a new No. 9.
In a very competitive market, Premier League rivals Chelsea, Manchester United, and champions-elect Liverpool are also looking for a new shooter.
Nearly everyone’s list includes Alexander Isak at the top, but Newcastle is certain the 25-year-old Swede isn’t going anywhere.
If the Toon don’t qualify for the Champions League, that stern position will be put to the test, but the Magpies’ outrageous £150 million valuation seems likely to keep any trade from happening.
Isak is still at St James’ Park in part because of Premier League financial regulations, which require even the largest clubs to make sure the numbers add up before making extravagant fee demands.
Any team hoping to sign Julian Alvarez, a former Manchester City striker, from Atletico Madrid has the same problem. The Argentine would cost at least £100 million.
The majority of teams will need to determine which of the two is the greatest option.
“Isak is the best No. 9 in the world right now, but he is too expensive, and PSR [Profit and Sustainability Rules] is proving to be a problem for many clubs,” stated one industry source.
Top teams are keeping an eye on Hugo Ekitike of Eintracht Frankfurt, Viktor Gyokeres of Sporting, and Liam Delap, who leads the line for struggling Ipswich, ahead of what may be a great summer if you’re a striker looking for a change of scenery.