How much did PSG pay for Hugo Ekitike?

Hugo Ekitike became the seventh player signed by PSG from Ligue 1 since QSI landed in the French capital in 2011. The Reims attacker, who has joined on a season-long loan, is the first homegrown talent to arrive at the Parc des Princes since Kylian Mbappé, who made a similar move from Monaco in 2017. Ekitike is an admirer of the France forward and there are some observers who have speculated the 20-year-old could go on to be as important a player for club and country in time. Last January, Ekitike emerged as one of PSG’s priority targets in case Mbappé decided to leave at the end of the 2021-22 season amid interest from Real Madrid, but in the end, he decided to stay and the Ligue 1 champions have two of France’s greatest attacking talents at their disposal. Although he will be competing with Neymar, Leo Messi and Mbappé for game time, incoming Christophe Galtier intends to implement a two-forward system and Ekitike was top of sporting director Luis Campos’ list of understudies.

Ekitike draws Mbappé comparisons

Ekitike scored ten goals in his first season in Ligue 1 and provided three assists. With his signing, PSG are emulating ‘Mbappé formula’: a loan with an option to buy next summer for €35 million. A fruitful loan to Danish side Vejle BK punctuated his Reims progression and last season Ekitike emerged as one of the most exciting attacking players in Ligue 1, attracting interest this summer from Leipzig, Borussia Dortmund and Newcastle.

A quick striker off the shoulder with a powerful burst of pace, Ekitike has been compare to a younger Mbappé. “Not only is he a fan of Kylian, but I think they have similar personalities. They are similar players, both in terms of the demands they place on themselves and in terms of questioning their performance and wanting to achieve the most demanding goals [...] They also have the same sense of professionalism and the same work ethic”, Enzo Djebali, former Stade Reims scout and current RMC Sport consultant, told Le Parisien.