'I think it’s probably too soon for him to come to a top, top club like Arsenal - I’m not sure if he’s ready to be the main man at a club chasing a Premier League title' Promising striker NOT ready for Gunners, says former star

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta (Image credit: Getty Images)

Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike has been linked with a move to England since the very early days of his career but a former Premier League and FA Cup winner has cast doubt over his ability to make the step up.

Ekitike is understood to be a target for Arsenal in the forthcoming summer transfer window, while previous interest from Manchester United and Newcastle United could add to the Frenchman’s options.

The 22-year-old started out at Reims, his home-town club, before an ill-fated switch to Paris Saint-Germain and subsequent move to Frankfurt last summer.

‘I think it’s probably too soon for him’

Arsenal target Hugo Ekitike

Arsenal target Hugo Ekitike (Image credit: Getty)

Despite averaging better than a goal every 45 minutes in the Bundesliga this season, Ekitike isn’t universally fancied to hit the ground running in the Premier League.

Former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder Emmanuel Petit, a World Cup winner who is ranked at no. 95 in FourFourTwo’s list of the greatest Premier League players ever, thinks the Under-21 international needs to bide his time.

Emmanuel Petit

Emmanuel Petit

“Honestly, I’ve seen him playing for Paris Saint-Germain. He was a little bit too young to play for a huge club like Paris Saint-Germain,” Petit told pokerfirma.com

“Now he’s having a good time in Germany with Eintracht Frankfurt. I think it’s probably too soon for him to come to a top top club like Arsenal or Liverpool – I’m not sure if he’s ready to be the main man at a club chasing a Premier League title.”

Ekitike joined PSG on loan in 2022 and scored three goals in 25 appearances, starting just 12 Ligue 1 matches before his move was made permanent, reportedly because the capital club were obliged to sign him.

He played just nine minutes in the league as a permanent PSG player and was left out of their Champions League squad before moving to Germany.

Hugo Ekitike of Paris Saint-Germain looks o during the Ligue 1 match between FC Nantes and Paris Saint-Germain at Stade de la Beaujoire on September 03, 2022 in Nantes, France.

Hugo Ekitike in action for PSG (Image credit: Aurelien Meunier - PSG/PSG via Getty Images)

Ekitike is enjoying a new lease of life and renewed attention from the Premier League.

Petit thinks a title-chasing team is beyond him but Newcastle, who’ve reportedly tracked him since he was at Reims, could be less of a jump.

“Could he be a good replacement for [Alexander] Isak if Newcastle let him go? Possibly, but it’s still a huge amount of pressure to replace a player like that,” continued Petit.

“It’s a similar situation with Manchester United. Can he carry the burden of scoring the goals for that club at his age?”

Petit’s former club, Arsenal, visit Everton this weekend as a packed month of Premier League action continues.

Ekitike will be looking to keep up his scoring rate in Eintracht Frankfurt’s Bundesliga clash against Werder Bremen on Saturday.

Chris is a freelance writer and the author of the High Protein Beef Paste football newsletter. He's based in Warwickshire and is the Head of Media for Coventry Sphinx.