Joe Ellis

Tue 1 February 2022 17:16, UK

West Ham may have failed in their bid to sign Stade Reims striker Hugo Ekitike in January but they should keep their sights locked on the 19-year-old.

The Hammers were embroiled in a battle with Newcastle over the French Under-20 international but he has stayed in Ligue 1 for now after a bid from the Irons was rejected [Le10 Sport].

While it is a kick in the teeth for West Ham, who were bordering on desperate for a striker to help Michail Antonio manage his game time, a deal for Ekitike is far from being buried for good.

His eight goals in 18 Ligue 1 games this season has seen him become one of the hottest talents in all of Europe and it is no surprise that the Hammers aren’t the only suitors for his talents.

Reims manager Oscar Garcia can see no signs of his growth stopping any time soon and he would back Ekitike to kick on at another club if (when) he moves.

“Technically he is so good,” says Garcia to Sky Sports.

“He is fast. He has to develop a little bit more physically but he is a player who, for me, can play for a top club. We have improved him. He should keep improving.

“We saw during pre-season that he had a lot of the qualities required to become a top striker.

“He is young and has to improve some things but with a good coach, the right coach, I am sure that he can become a very good striker.”

High praise indeed and all the signs point to him going on to score even more in the second half of the season in France.

Ekitike is not a player West Ham can afford to ignore now they haven’t signed him in the January window because he will only come back to bite them on the backside.

Newcastle’s interest should be enough of a warning to David Moyes and the board as waiting until the last minute to make their moves isn’t going to work when there are other teams chasing the same player.

When that summer window opens, Ekitike must be priority number one, no excuses.

In other West Ham news, the reason behind this failed transfer has supposedly been revealed.