Newcastle United’s chase for Hugo Ekitike will more than likely end up in the club’s favour - and Toon fans only need to look towards Darwin Nunez’s move to Liverpool for why.
Liverpool splashed out £85m to bring Nunez to Merseyside from Benfica. In an ideal world for most at the Estadio da Luz, Nunez would have remained at the Portuguese club for at least another season as the club look to build on a third-place finish and an impressive quarter-final place in the Champions League.
Nunez was a crucial part of last season’s relative success - and for some, holding onto him for at least one more season may have proved key in trying to secure their first league title since the 2018-19 campaign. Yet as much as the As Águias would like to hold on to their best players, there is an acceptance from most that their prize assets will always have to be sold.
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For some, it is frustrating but it is balanced out by the reality of financial pressures and the very fact that when a Premier League side comes calling, especially one of Liverpool’s stature, is very hard to compete let alone expect a player to turn a move down. Football aside, the other train of thought regarding holding on to Nunez was his value. Another prolific season could have well seen the £85m price paid jump to well over £100m.
Yet there’s a realisation that was a gamble. Poor form or serious injury could have rendered Nunez’s value much less than he’s gone for. Nunez may have hit 22 goals in the 2021-22 campaign but there was nothing to guarantee a similar return in the forthcoming season.
He may have ended up on a barren run or proven to be a one-season wonder. Newcastle fans will remember Nicolai Jørgensen once of Feyenoord who looked destined to join the Magpies in January 2018.
The Danish international had his 21 goals in the Dutch Top flight season of 2016-17 and a further seven between August and January of the 2017-18 campaign. The Magpies chased him throughout January but Feyenoord moved to hold on to him and then demanded £20m for the forward in the summer after.
The Magpies walked away from their top target - and in the seasons after, Jørgensen’s form has dipped alarmingly with him hitting only 19 goals in the last four campaigns. It is perhaps a lesson for Europe’s teams to know when to cash in on their star players - to seize offers when the prize asset is at the top of his game.
Benfica did that - making a £61m profit on the 22-year-old, who has only hit double figures twice in his career. Of course, he is young and scouts from across Europe - including Newcastle - all recognised a player with clear talent but it is a nod to know when to cash in.
And the same can be said when it comes to Ekitike and Reims. There is no doubting the quality of the forward but paying £30 million for a 20-year-old is always a gamble.
Like Nunez, he has just one prolific campaign - scoring 10 goals in the season just gone. But Newcastle have scouted Ekitike rigorously and like what they see - their chase in January after he has scored just nine goals shows that.
Back then, Ekitike wasn't overly convinced about the project at Newcastle - understandable perhaps given the club were embroiled in a relegation scrap. This time around, Reims seem to be jostling for a higher payout - reportedly offering Ekitike out to other clubs while negotiating with the Magpies.
Yet two serious hamstring injuries in the last six months for Ekitike may set alarm bells ringing for the French club - although he has bounced back from both, will the club roll the dice risking United's wrath.
Those close to the deal believe it is just a matter of time before it happens - Reims are aware they cannot match the spending power of Newcastle while acknowledging that holding onto the youngster in hope of increasing his value is a gamble that is never assured.
For Newcastle, it has been a lesson that was fully expected - with reference to well spoken-about 'Newcastle tax' every club appears to heap on to any deal offered by the club.
