£26m Everton transfer set to impact long-term Newcastle United ‘target’ amid West Ham interest

Udinese striker Beto has become Everton’s fifth signing of the summer after the Toffees agreed a £25.75m (€30m) fee with Udiense for the 25-year-old. Beto joins Everton currently sat rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table having tasted three defeats in a row without scoring.

Beto’s move, however, has left one former Newcastle United target in the lurch. Hugo Ekitike was heavily-linked with a move to Goodison Park earlier this summer, but that move now appears to be off the cards.

West Ham have been credited with an interest in signing the striker and have reportedly submitted a £30m bid. Despite only being made a permanent PSG player earlier this summer, the young Frenchman is expected to leave the Parc De Princes this summer and whilst the Hammers are a potential option for him, Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt appear to be PSG’s preferred option with reports that Ekitike could be used in a swap deal for Randal Kolo Muani.

The summer transfer window closes at 11pm on Friday, September 1 meaning PSG, West Ham and Frankfurt have just over three days to thrash out a deal for the striker. Ekitike, meanwhile, is no stranger to transfer deadline day drama.

Newcastle United chased Ekitike’s signature throughout January 2022 and had a late bid accepted by Stade Reims for the striker. However, Ekitike, in the middle of a breakthrough debut season, opted to stay in Ligue 1 and the Magpies ended that particular window having only added Chris Wood to their attacking options. They then reignited their interest in Ekitike last summer, only to see their efforts thwarted by interest from PSG.