Simon Jordan thought the ‘world has gone mad’ before Newcastle United made Hugo Ekitike decision

Hugo Ekitike looks destined for a move to the Premier League this summer, but he will not end up at Newcastle United.

 

Indeed, Newcastle United have decided to drop out of the race to sign Ekitike, having seen what was a club-record offer rejected by Eintracht Frankfurt

. Manchester United and Liverpool are now looking to sign the 23-year-old striker this summer, which comes as a huge frustration for Newcastle.

 

Newcastle agreed personal terms with Ekitike but couldn’t force through a move and are now prepared to move on to other targets.

 

Benjamin Sesko is a Newcastle target, while Brentford’s Yoane Wissa is another name linked with a move to St James’ Park.

While either of those would be exciting signings, missing out on Ekitike is obviously a blow for Eddie Howe.

 

Still, pundit Simon Jordan believes the price point involved in signing the Frenchman is over the top.

Simon Jordan says Hugo Ekitike is costing too much money

Speaking on talkSPORT on Wednesday, the former Crystal Palace owner claimed the world had “gone mad” if Ekitike is costing more than £70million. Granted, he suggested a price of £90million was too much, but was talking about the size of the deal for a relatively inexperienced player in general.

According to BBC Sport, the former Paris Saint-Germain and Reims forward could cost Liverpool more than £70million, taking their spending this summer to huge levels.

 

When asked about the interest in Ekitike, Jordan said: “He didn’t hit the ground at PSG. He’s gone to Frankfurt, he’s played 30-40 games and all of a sudden he’s a £90million footballer. The world has gone mad.”

 

Newcastle were prepared to pay more than £70million for Ekitike, while Liverpool appear to be actually doing so.

 

Given they are two clubs generally regarded as getting things right in the market, it’s fair to assume Ekitike’s price tag is reflective of his market value.

 

As with any player, however, there is a risk. Scoring in the German league does not always translate to life in the Premier League.

 

There is no guarantee Ekitike will ever reach the level of, say, Alexander Isak. That’s not to say he absolutely won’t, but he’s still got some way to go on that front.