Hugo Ekitike in, Alexander Isak out? What are the ramifications of Newcastle's €80m move for Eintracht Frankfurt star?

Newcastle United are reportedly close to agreeing a deal that would bring Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike to the club for a fee in the region of €80m, but the transfer poses a number of dilemmas for the Toon.

For example, the 23-year-old is supposedly seen by Eddie Howe as a partner to Alexander Isak rather than a replacement, but operating with two centre-forwards would require a major overhaul of the style and systems that brought Champions League football back to Tyneside.

Additionally, the Magpies' group of forwards that includes Anthony Gordon, Harvey Barnes and Jacob Murphy, as well as new big-money arrival Anthony Elanga, could become difficult to manage in terms of game time if another first-team frontman was thrown into the mix.

Furthermore, and perhaps most importantly, the League Cup winners are famously majority-owned by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, but their spending has been limited due to the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules, and if they are to compete on all fronts next season, it remains to be seen whether they can keep both strikers at the club.

With that in mind, it seems almost certain that a major departure is necessary if Newcastle are to balance the books and playing squad, an interesting development considering that Liverpool have been credited with a long-standing interest in Isak.

Here, Sports Mole discusses Ekitike's potential move to St James' Park, as well as the possible ramifications of a transfer.

What type of striker is Ekitike and how does he compare to Isak?

The 23-year-old started his professional career with Reims in Ligue 1, and may already be familiar to Champions League viewers after his troubled spell with Paris Saint-Germain in 2022-23.

A loan and eventual permanent switch to the Bundesliga later and Ekitike is now one of the most sought after prospects in Europe, making shortlists at Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United due to his unusual combination of a technical play style with pace and a six foot three inch frame, traits reminiscent of Newcastle's Isak.

In 2024-25, the French striker netted 15 times and laid on eight assists across 33 league appearances for Eintracht Frankfurt, but while these numbers represent a commendable and balanced return out of context, Ekitike underperformed his expected goals tally by a staggering 8.09 last term.

Most players fail to match or surpass their expected goals each season, but such a significant disparity between xG and actual goals is indicative of consistently poor finishing, and suggests that the £69m-rated star may not yet be the finished article.

In contrast, Isak scored 23 goals from an xG of 22.36 in the most recent campaign while facing higher-calibre opposition, highlighting his status as one of the better finishers in Europe.

However, it is notable that the Swedish centre-forward fired just six goals from an expected figure of 10.80 for Real Sociedad in 2021-22 - the season before he was signed by Newcastle - so perhaps there is room for Ekitike to improve in a similar fashion should he arrive at St James' Park.

A formation change for Howe?

The Toon have established themselves as one of the toughest teams to face in the Premier League in recent seasons, due in large part to the extreme physical challenge posed by the midfield trio of Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton.

If Ekitike were to join Isak up top in a two-striker formation, either as part of a 4-4-2 or 3-5-2 setup, then one of the three would need to make way for the new man.

This would cause the Magpies to be a more forward-thinking team, but would also reduce the emphasis on their strongest area of the pitch, a factor that makes such a drastic change unlikely.

Additionally, the decision to sign a lightning-quick winger like Elanga from Nottingham Forest suggests that Howe will be sticking to his tried and trusted 4-3-3 operation, a shape that could get the most out of both the £55m speedster and Gordon on the opposite flank.

Another hint is the fact that there have also been reports of Newcastle exploring midfield options in the transfer market, with Conor Gallagher linked, and though the England man would be a starter, it seems unfeasible that he could oust either Bruno or Tonali.

A mega-money departure from Newcastle?

It has been widely reported that Howe's side are up against the constraints imposed by PSR this summer, yet their spending would be taken to a total just shy of £125m should Ekitike make the move.

Newcastle have also been credited with a longstanding interest in Burnley shot-stopper James Trafford, are in need of defensive reinforcements and are now linked to £40m-rated Atletico Madrid midfielder Gallagher.

If the club are to afford the signings they deem necessary to compete in the Champions League in 2025-26, then they will need to recoup significant sums from player sales, having only sold Lloyd Kelly to Juventus for a fee in the region of £14.5m.

The most valuable assets in the squad that have been involved in transfer rumours are Gordon and Isak, with the winger likely commanding in excess of £65m and the Toon demanding a league-record figure for the striker.

Premier League champions Liverpool have been interested in both players in recent seasons, and Gordon even came close to joining the Reds in 2024, while Isak has long been on the radar of Fenway Sports Group's Michael Edwards.

Arne Slot's side are expected to offload winger Luis Diaz and striker Darwin Nunez this summer, and given that they will be in the market for replacements, the Merseysiders are in a position to offer the type of money that could be a financial difference-maker for Newcastle.

If the arrival of Ekitike is confirmed, then the Magpies may have paved the way for an exit by securing a like-for-like replacement for Isak, and while the recently-turned 23-year-old has some way to go before reaching the goalscorer's level, he is almost three years younger and his world-class potential is clear.