The PSG version Luis Campos and Christophe Galtier has a new recruit. The capital club formalized the arrival of Hugo Ekitike, Saturday July 16 on Twitter. The former Rémois is on loan, with option to buy, until the end of the season. Franceinfo: sport takes you to discover the new Parisian striker, who celebrated his 20th birthday in June.
A pure Reims product
Hugo Ekitike has Stade de Reims in his blood. Born in the City of Kings in 2002, he joined the club’s academy at 11, after touching his first balls at MJEP Cormontreuil, in the Reims area. It was with the Stade de Reims that he signed his first professional contract, in June 2020, before making his debut in the red and white jersey three months later, in October, during a defeat against Lorient. Twenty-eight games followed, until his last outing with Reims, against Nice, for the 38th and last day of the 2021-2022 season.
With 10 goals this season in @Ligue1UberEatsHugo Ekitike ends the 2021/22 financial year as Europe’s top scorer under 20 among the teams in Europe’s top 5! pic.twitter.com/PVVC9XtqDc
— Reims Stadium (@StadeDeReims) June 6, 2022
An unexpected loan in Denmark
For his only experience away from his hometown, Hugo Ekitike treated himself to an astonishing six-month adventure in Denmark. At the end of 2020, after being content with bits of matches in Ligue 1, he made the decision to temporarily leave his club to find some playing time. Direction Vejle, in Denmark, and the Superligaen. “Leaving at 18, in a championship like Denmark, when he had never left the family cocoon… You had to be armed. It shows his state of mind well”, confided to AFP in November his trainer in Reims, Franck Chalençon. Ekitike played 11 games and scored 3 goals, before returning to the Marne.
2022 Golden Boy Award Nominated
Hugo Ekitike’s qualities have already attracted attention in Europe. His name was retained in mid-June by the Italian daily Tuttosport in the list of 100 players nominated for the Golden Boy 2022 trophy, which consecrates the best young person under 21 playing on the old continent.
100 players nominated for Tuttosport’s Golden Boy 2022 award. pic.twitter.com/fPGzK5jFe6
— Football Talent Scout – Jacek Kulig (@FTalentScout) June 15, 2022
The neo-Parisian accompanies young football stars like Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Nuno Mendes (PSG) or even Pedri (Barcelona), the defending champion. See you on October 15 to find out if he will be among the 20 finalists.
A giant in the field
On the lawn, Hugo Ekitike hardly goes unnoticed. From the height of his 89 meter, he dominates his teammates and many defenses. This impressive size does not prevent him from betting on his speed and his movements, as Franck Chalençon explained to AFP: “From the start, we saw that he had undeniable qualities (…) He already had this ease, this fluidity, and the quality of his movements was already very interesting for his age.
A hot first part of the 2021-2022 season
Hugo Ekitike revealed himself to Ligue 1 at the start of last season. Unknown to football fans, he distinguished himself from the first meetings. Author of 9 goals and 2 assists in 17 games, the young Rémois has established himself as an indisputable holder in attack, at only 19 years old. A good form which allowed him to earn his place in the France U20 team, where he has been regularly selected since last fall, but also in Espoirs. Although he stalled in the second half of the season due in particular to a thigh injury, Ekitike continued to impress. Until catching the eye of the Parisian giant, with whom he will write the rest of his story.