Inevitably, when you are barely 20 years old and have already scored ten goals in Ligue 1 (divided into nine outings), three less than Neymar over the whole season, Europe quickly panics.
Hugo Ekitike, the Reims striker, is followed by the biggest clubs.
His name is associated with Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and PSG, among others, no less.
But there is a catch.
According to our information, the International U 20 (6 selections) does not appear in the list of potential recruits for the capital club.
He is not tracked and does not belong to any of the series of five players lying on offense.
In this sector, PSG is looking for three reinforcements, including Gianluca Scamacca, 23, the small or large (1.95 m) nugget from Sassuolo, whose file is almost complete for an arrival in July in Paris.
In this case, the PSG "pays" its financial surface, its economic power.
As for Ousmane Dembélé, another striker who will not come to PSG but who is regularly associated with his transfer window news, the Ekitike-PSG ticket drives up prices.
It was on the Reims side that the smokescreen came, slipping the name of Paris among the suitors in order to secure a high transfer fee.
The introduction of the "false" courtier, an eternal fact of liar poker in the transfer window, has become a classic game since 2011 and the takeover of the club by Qatar, a game played by the presidents of opposing clubs or the agents of the players concerned.
Reims have already accepted an offer of €36 + €10 million in bonuses from Newcastle (Premier League), a destination that the striker does not seem to favor with 11 goals and 4 assists in all competitions with Reims.
Trained in Champagne, Ekitike already shows immense promise in front of goal and in the game, with sharp movements, an altruistic sense and a wide range of modern 9.
It remains to be seen where he will export his talent next season.
If it's in Ligue 1, it won't be in Paris.
