Newcastle United have endured a tough start to the summer transfer window, but the intent to bolster Eddie Howe’s first-team squad is very much there.
In fact, an actual breakthrough has been found in recent days, with Nottingham Forest’s Anthony Elanga finally here-we-goed after more than a year of fruitless efforts to bring him over to St. James’ Park.
The electric-paced winger is set to sign for £55m, having played a vital role in driving Nuno Espirito Santo’s Forest into Europe, notching 32 goal involvements across his two seasons at the City Ground.
Bringing in such a profile is good news indeed, but Newcastle are still hoping to sign a central striker, having missed out on Joao Pedro after the Brazilian opted to sign for Chelsea in a £60m deal.
Why Newcastle want a striker
Newcastle are confident that they will fend off interest in Alexander Isak, but even so, rumours of the Sweden striker’s potential departure aren’t going to go away over the coming weeks.
Liverpool, namely, are proving a thorn in Newcastle’s transfer committees’ side, but PIF are believed to have priced their talisman at £200m, and they are under no obligation to sell after United repinned their Champions League badge.
Still, with Callum Wilson having left Tyneside at the end of his contract, Howe wants competition. Pedro was supposed to provide more depth, but he’s now off the cards.
Thus, Newcastle have been linked once again with Dominic Calvert-Lewin. According to talkSPORT, the former Everton star has held talks with United as he looks for a new club, but this perhaps isn’t the move fans are hoping for.
‘DCL’, as he is known, has quite the shoddy injury record, and he only scored three times across 26 Premier League outings last season, missing 16 big chances, as per Sofascore.
He would be a cost-efficient signing, to be sure, but the Magpies are aiming high this summer and they have their sights on a far more exciting striker.
Newcastle line up Calvert-Lewin alternative
Newcastle have shown they are willing to spend the big bucks for a new number nine to complement Isak, and that’s why Fabrizio Romano has confirmed Howe’s interest in Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike.
The 23-year-old has attracted a wealth of interest over the past few months, but RMC Sport have now revealed that Newcastle are among the teams showing the greatest curiosity in the Frenchman.
Saudi duo Al-Qadsiah and especially Al-Hilal – who are believed to be readying an offer – are also keen, but suitors have thus far been kept at bay by the Bundesliga outfit’s €100m (£85m) valuation of their player, who is a great talent but an unpolished one at that.
What Hugo Ekitike would bring to Newcastle
Newcastle have one of the best strikers in world football, and thus some would consider interest in Ekitike as superfluous, but he’s a rising talent of the highest calibre, and came close to joining back in 2022 after a £33m deal with Reims was agreed, but for the player to pull the plug on proceedings.
And whoever said that having options was a bad thing? Newcastle will only reach the next level in their impressive development with an excess of options capable of pushing for a place at the top of the Premier League while competing across the campaign’s tournamental offshoots too.
If the finances check out – and the conjecture read from the past few months suggests that it’s not outside the realm of possibility for the Toon – then Ekitike is the forward to go for.
For sure, he’s miles better than Calvert-Lewin, who offers flimsy assurances of his ability to stay fit, let alone productive.
Goals scored
0.53
0.17
Assists
0.28
0.06
Shots taken
4.00
2.80
Shot-creating actions
3.55
1.45
Touches (att pen)
6.88
4.92
Progressive passes
1.86
1.12
Progressive carries
3.27
1.29
Successful take-ons
1.83
0.56
Ball recoveries
3.06
1.96
Aerial duels won
1.83
4.75
Tackles + interceptions
0.81
0.90
Moreover, Ekitike is nearly five years his junior, with so much scope for growth. He might not have anywhere near the same aerial ability as his English counterpart, but he’s far more energetic, creative and effective in the majority of critical moments.
Newcastle completed 705 crosses in the Premier League last term, as per FBref, the sixth-highest tally in the division. There is a ring to United’s long-standing interest in Calvert-Lewin, but is it enough to suggest he deserves a place over Ekitike, someone who can elevate the frontline to a truly exceptional standard?
Ultimately, it will prove a matter of financial variables. And Ekitike’s decision with such a vast range of interest in his services will be crucial too.
But if it does check out, and Frankfurt are inclined to reduce their extortionate asking price at some point in the transfer window, Newcastle could hit the jackpot in signing him.
After all, he has the making of a complete player, with his athleticism and high-speed running leading journalist Graeme Bailey to dub him “the next Mbappe”.
And anyway, he might not have such an eye-catching aerial record as Calvert-Lewin, but the 6 foot 2 Ekitike did win 4.2 duels per Premier League game in 2024/25, as per Sofascore, winning a respectable 46% of his aerial battles.
The Premier League striker did average higher, but he only came out on top 51% of the time, so the difference isn’t exactly glaring, and is something that Howe will coach Ekitike on improving and, anyway, shouldn’t hold much sway in the grand scheme of the manager’s reckoning.
With Newcastle preparing for the new campaign as Carabao Cup champions and Champions League competitors, they have the sway to potentially pull off such a deal.
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Furthermore, their historic efforts to sign the France star could work in Howe’s favour, thus ending the interest in Calvert-Lewin.
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