Striker who rejected Newcastle United transfer training alone amid fitness doubts

Hugo Ekitike has reportedly been forced to train away from the Eintracht Frankfurt first-team amid doubts over his fitness levels. Ekitike only joined the Bundesliga side on deadline day and played just 13 minutes of their 2-0 defeat to FC Koln at the weekend.

However, that match was just the Frenchman’s second game of the season having found himself on the fringes of the PSG first-team squad since the beginning of the season. Concerns over his fitness mean, according to FootMercato, that Ekitike is now training away from his new teammates as a way to build his fitness levels for the remainder of the campaign.

Since joining PSG in the summer of 2022, after twice rejecting a move to Newcastle United before then, Ekitike has managed just 34 appearances in all competitions and netted just four goals in that time. Newcastle had agreed a deal with Stade Reims in January 2022, only for Ekitike to turn down a move to the north east before the Magpies reignited their interest the following summer - but were again frustrated in their pursuit of the striker once PSG’s interest became known.

The Magpies, after missing out on his signature, opted instead to sign Alexander Isak from Real Sociedad for £63m. Whilst the Swedish international has had injury issues of his own during his time on Tyneside, including missing pretty much the first half of his first season at the club through injury, he has still managed 24 goals in 52 appearances and is the club’s top scorer this season.