Wolverhampton Wanderers face a replay against Brentford in their FA Cup third-round clash after drawing the first tie 1-1, but it is clear the Old Gold need some new firepower following Hwang Hee-Chan’s departure to represent South Korea in the Asian Cup.
Gary O’Neil could be ready to delve into the transfer market with the January transfer window in full swing and the need for a striker has heightened following Sasa Kalajdzic’s loan move to German side Eintracht Frankfurt, leaving him short of options in attack.
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ByMax Bradfield Wolves transfer news – Hugo Ekitiké
According to French outlet Le 10 Sport (via Sport Witness), Wolves have reportedly ‘accelerated behind the scenes’ to sign striker Hugo Ekitiké from Paris Saint-Germain.
The French side are ready to part with the player during the January transfer window, either on loan or permanently, and this could suggest O’Neil is prepared to make a swoop for the youngster.
The only stumbling block would be matching the wages that he is currently earning at PSG. Ekitike secured a massive increase when he joined the capital club and Wolves may not have the financial capabilities to match this.
The player is currently valued at €15.7m (£13.5m) according to Football Transfers and this means O’Neil has to move a few players on to raise funds for the move, as he could be an ideal replacement for Kalajdzic.
Hugo Ekitiké’s career statistics
The 21-year-old enjoyed his breakthrough campaign at Stade Reims during 2021/22 where he ended up scoring ten Ligue 1 goals and chipping in with four assists. His talent clearly impressed Newcastle United, who were keen on bringing him to the Premier League in January 2022.
Journalist Graeme Bailey was the one to claim that the Magpies were in advanced talks with Reims over the transfer of the young striker, while also heaping praise on him, saying: “Outstanding talent – huge signing for Newcastle if they get it done, many in France believe he could be the next Mbappe.”
High praise indeed, yet the proposed move to England never materialised, and he joined PSG that summer. Yet, it was always going to be tough fighting it out with the likes of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Neymar for game time.
He didn’t do badly considering the circumstances, ranking fifth among the squad for goals and assists (seven) in Ligue 1, along with ranking fourth for shots on target per game (0.5) and fifth for scoring frequency (a goal every 385 minutes), finishing behind the acclaimed triumvirate in those metrics.
This season, however, Ekitike has fallen out of favour, featuring for a paltry eight minutes in the French top flight, and it is clear that a fresh start is required if he hopes to kickstart his career.
Kalajdzic managed to find the back of the net only three times before sealing a temporary switch away from the Midlands and there is no doubt the young French hitman could prove to be a wonderful replacement.
The Old Gold will be eyeing a spot in the top half of the table and a move for Ekitike could give them some freshness in that area of the squad.