Newcastle have dropped down the list of favourites to sign Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike.

It was reported on Thursday that the Magpies had stepped away from talks, with Liverpool taking pole position, having agreed personal terms with the striker.

William Hill have now made the Reds odds-on to win the race for Ekitike (1/3), with the price for the Magpies having lengthened to 9/4.

Manchester United, who reportedly attempted a last-ditch hijack to sign the 22-year-old, are at 33/1, while a return to Paris Saint-Germain is priced the same.

Chelsea (33/1) were also in the running for Ekitike’s signature earlier in the summer, but they have since moved on to other targets.

Ekitike has been on the club’s radar for several years

The striker was originally targeted when he was at Stade de Reims, but a £25m move to St James’ Park collapsed at the end of the 2022 summer transfer window.

Since then, Ekitike has moved to Paris Saint-Germain, where he struggled for game time, before he ended up at Frankfurt.

The Frenchman  scored 22 goals in all competitions last season, and his performances prompted TNT Sports pundit Owen Hargreaves to describe him as the “perfect centre forward.”

Where does this leave Newcastle?

It is believed that Eddie Howe’s side have already decided to pursue alternatives to Ekitike, with Brentford’s Yoane Wissa the prime target.

However, a move for the Congolese international may not be straightforward. The Bees are said to be reluctant to sell both Bryan Mbeumo and Wissa.

With Manchester United having now tabled a third offer for Mbeumo worth £70m, the winger could well be on his way to Old Trafford. That could shut down any potential swoop for Wissa this summer.

In other news, a Newcastle striker has not asked to leave St James’ Park despite being the subject of enquiries from other clubs