PIF plotting NUFC swoop for "wonderful" £30m "joy to watch", he's better than Ekitike - opinion

An update has emerged regarding Newcastle United‘s interest in Amine Gouiri in the summer transfer window…

According to i News, the Ligue 1 attacker is currently being considered as an alternative to Hugo Ekitike after the Magpies’ deal for the Reims forward hit a stumbling block.

The report claims that his agents are causing the move to stutter because of their demands and Gouiri – who Newcastle scouted last term – is a player to whom they may turn alongside Chelsea’s Armando Broja.

It has previously been reported that the gem is valued at £30m by Nice, although it remains to be seen whether or not the Premier League club are going to firm up their interest as PIF plot a potential swoop for him.

By securing a deal to sign Gouiri, Newcastle can land a better player than initial target Ekitike for the 2022/23 campaign.

In terms of Newcastle’s squad in the immediate future, the Nice maestro would be a better signing, as he is two years older than the Reims youngster and has more experience under his belt.

In the 2020/21 season, Gouiri produced 12 goals and seven assists in 31 starts as he averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.15. The phenomenon created a whopping 11 ‘big chances’ for his team-mates and also made 1.5 key passes per game in the French top flight.

He also caught the eye throughout the 2021/22 campaign, with football talent scout Jacek Kulig previously dubbing him “wonderful” and a “joy to watch“.

The 22-year-old ended the season with 10 goals and nine assists in 32 league starts, creating 12 ‘big chances’ for his team-mates as he showcased his ability to score and set up goals on a regular basis.

Meanwhile, Ekitike has only started 15 league games in his career. In that time, he has racked up an impressive 10