Hugo Ekitike

Hugo Ekitike (or Ekitiké; born 20 June 2002) is a French professional footballer who plays as a striker for Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt.

Early life
Hugo Ekitike was born on 20 June 2002 in Reims, Marne, to a French father and a Cameroonian mother.

Reims
On 12 July 2020, Ekitike signed his first professional contract with Reims. He debuted with the senior team in a 3–1 Ligue 1 loss to Lorient on 17 October 2020. On 29 January 2021, Ekitike joined Danish Superliga club Vejle Boldklub on loan for the rest of the season.

On 26 September 2021, Ekitike scored Reims' second and third goals in a 3–1 win against Nantes, having come on as a substitute. In the January 2022 transfer window, Ekitike rejected a potential transfer to Newcastle United. Reims president Jean-Pierre Caillot admitted that the club had received "very good offers" for Ekitike, but reiterated that "there is still a piece of history to write together".

Paris Saint-Germain
On 16 July 2022, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) announced the signing of Ekitike on a season-long loan with an option-to-buy for a reported fee of €35 million, bonuses included. According to several sources, the purchase option in the deal was made mandatory.

Ekitike made his PSG debut as a substitute in a 5–0 league win away to Clermont on 6 August 2022. On 1 October, he made his first start for the club in a 2–1 league victory over Nice at the Parc des Princes. Ten days later, Ekitike made his UEFA Champions League debut, coming on as a late-match substitute in a 1–1 home draw against Benfica. On 13 November, he scored his first goal for Paris Saint-Germain in a 5–0 home win over Auxerre. He finished the season with four goals and four assists in thirty-two matches, winning his first Ligue 1 title. In June 2023, his transfer to PSG became a permanent deal worth €28.5 million plus €6.5 million in bonuses. In September 2023, it was reported that he was excluded from the Champions League squad for the 2023–24 season.

Eintracht Frankfurt
On 1 February 2024, Ekitike signed for Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt on loan until the end of the season with a buy option. He made his debut as a substitute in a 2–0 defeat away to FC Köln two days later. On 19 April, he scored his first goal for the club in a 3–1 home victory over FC Augsburg. On 26 April, the buy option in Ekitike's loan deal at Eintracht Frankfurt was activated, and he was transferred for a fee of €16.5 million. He signed a deal until the end of the 2028–29 season. The following day, Ekitike scored a goal in 2–1 defeat away to Bayern Munich, a right-footed strike from outside the box into the bottom-right corner of the net.

International career
Ekitike was eligible to play for France because of his birth and through his father and for Cameroon through his mother. He is a youth international for France, having represented the France U20s.

Honours
Paris Saint-Germain
 * Ligue 1: 2022–23, 2023–24

France U20


 * Maurice Revello Tournament: 2022