Stade de Reims striker Hugo Ekitike has been told that he can leave the club this summer, after reports linking him with Liverpool.
Reims president Jean-Pierre Caillot confirmed the club’s stance on their star player whilst speaking to Europe1.
“He’s a boy who has extraordinary qualities and I think we’re going to make a small difference compared to what we do as a general rule, to take a youngster slowly, get him into the team, make him grow with our team for a few years and then he goes elsewhere,” he said.
“In Hugo’s case, he would waste time staying with us. We refused a solicitation for 35 million euros (£29.4m) this winter, which is still a lot of money for a club like ours.
“This money will serve us to grow, will continue to improve the club and Hugo has an exit voucher. It will probably come out. I don’t have a big club that hasn’t come to the intelligence.”
Sounds like after a good season for the French club, Ekitike will be on his way out during the summer window.
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Liverpool scout Ekitike
Newcastle United are reportedly the club that Reims turned down in January. But Liverpool have also been credited with an interest in the 19-year-old.
Back in February, 90min reported that The Reds were one of the teams who had sent scouts to watch Ekitike.
Liverpool reportedly joined the likes of Bayern Munich, PSG and Juventus in casting an eye over the teenager. All of Liverpool’s ‘big six’ Premier League rivals are also claimed to have scouted him as well.
That would suggest that Reims will have high demand for the player who has scored nine goals in 21 Ligue 1 games this season.
Frustrating end to a breakout season for Ekitike
After a tremendous start to the season, Ekitike has now missed the last two months of action with a hamstring injury.
Without his goals, Reims have won just three of the nine Ligue 1 games he has been absent for, slipping to 13th in the table,
The lack of recent action shouldn’t diminish the interest in him. At nineteen, he has already proven that he can handle men’s football and looks like a potential future start.
Indeed, after his breakout beginning to the season, Reims manager Oscar Garcia called him ‘very special’ in November via ligue1.com.
Liverpool could be looking for an additional forward this summer as both Divock Origi and Takumi Minamino look ready to leave the club. Whether they’d shell out the kind of fee Caillot is talking about remains to be seen.