PSG sign Reims prospect Ekitike on loan with option to buy

Paris Saint-Germain have completed the signing of Reims attacker Hugo Ekitike on loan until the end of the 2022-23 season, with an option to buy.

Reports suggest the eventual fee, should the deal be made permanent, will see the Ligue 1 champions pay around €35million for the 20-year-old.

Newcastle United had been linked with Ekitike, with reports suggesting he had turned down a move to the Premier League side in January.

Reims coach Oscar Garcia then quelled fears the forward would leave, suggesting Ekitike wanted to stay unless Real Madrid or Barcelona made an offer.

However, PSG have now swooped in to sign the striker on an initial loan deal as new head coach Christophe Galtier attempts to build a squad capable of competing domestically and in the Champions League.

Ekitike emerged as one of the hottest prospects in Europe’s top five leagues after a fine 2021-22 Ligue 1 campaign, in which he scored 10 goals and assisted three more.

He contributed a goal involvement every 98 minutes on average and his conversion rate of 32.3 per cent was the second-best among players with 20 or more attempts across Europe, comfortably exceeding his expected goals total of 7.0.

While PSG have acquired a young talent to support Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Lionel Messi, Galtier’s side are also reportedly interested in Sassuolo forward Gianluca Scamacca.