Hugo Ekitike has stated his reasons for joining Paris St-Germain after opting against a move to Newcastle United in 2022.
The Magpies tried to sign the young forward from Reims a couple of times before he opted for the French capital and Ekitike has now broken his silence on his departure from the Ligue 1 club. After joining PSG on loan from Reims with a view to a permanent deal, the player states he wanted to play for the oil rich French giants for family reasons.
After signing for the 2020 Champions League runners-up, he said: "It is the choice of the heart! I’m French too, it’s the club of my homeland, of my country. And then it’s a club where the greatest players evolve, where there is a quality and experienced staff, the desire to win all the titles in all competitions.
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"There is everything here for me to progress. All the ingredients are there, so it’s a logical choice for me to be here.
"Finally, I myself have family in the Paris region, and I have always followed Paris Saint-Germain. All this made my desire to join this club very natural. It’s the right choice for me to be here."
The arrangement between Reims and PSG will see the French side get the option to sign the 20-year-old at the end of the season. The same deal that was on the table - in terms of price - is likely to be paid in 2023 by the mega-rich French side.
A fee of €28.5 million in addition to the €6.5 million bonuses was thrashed out between the two clubs.
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