Hugo Ekitike calls troubled stay at PSG a ‘lesson’

Hugo Ekitike (21) has called his time at Paris Saint-Germain a “lesson” in a reflective press conference.

The forward was on loan at PSG last season from Stade de Reims but with an obligation to buy for €30 million if Les Parisiens won the league. Despite RC Lens’s best efforts, PSG claimed their eleventh title last season with a point to spare, meaning Ekitike’s deal was made permanent. 

Despite this, it was clear that the club no longer had any long-term plans for the player when it brought in Gonçalo Ramos (22) and Randal Kolo Muani (25) for a combined fee of €170 million. 

PSG even attempted to use Ekitike as a makeweight in the deal that eventually brought Kolo Muani to the club from Eintracht Frankfurt. However, at that point, it was believed that the forward preferred a move to the Premier League. 

Outside of a few minutes at the end of PSG’s opening game of the season, Ekitike was unused by the club and according to the player was even refused the ability to train with the first team or use the training facilities at the club. 

January was another opportunity for the player to leave and after multiple clubs showed interest, it was again Frankfurt that came back for the forward. He joined the Bundesliga side on deadline day on a loan deal and has yet to feature for the club as he attempts to return to match fitness. 

Hugo Ekitike reflects on the lessons learned at PSG

Regardless of the circumstances of his departure from Paris, the striker was not bitter about the time, “it all depends on how you take things. For some, it can be complicated. I take it in a pretty good way, it’s what pushes me to be better every day.”

Ekitike continued to reflect on the positives he gained from the experience, “It didn’t work in Paris, it’s part of a career, of choices, of certain things that happen. My time in Paris was a lesson for me, a learning experience alongside great players.”

GFFN | Nick Hartland