Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe has, on Sunday, provided his take on the club's ultimately fruitless pursuit of Stade de Reims star Hugo Ekitike.

The name of attacking sensation Ekitike has of course taken its place front and centre in the headlines across the continent this summer.

This comes with the 20-year-old having been identified as a priority target on the part of a number of clubs, first and foremost Premier League outfit Newcastle United.

At one point, it even appeared as though a move to St. James' Park was as good as done, with the newly-minted Magpies ready to splash out upwards of €30 million on Ekitike's signature.

In turn, it no doubt came as a blow for all associated with Newcastle upon word surfacing that the gifted starlet was stalling on a Tyneside switch, having set his sights on a move to one of European football's giants.

The outfit in question? PSG.

And it did not take at all long for the French champions to take full advantage of this situation, tying up a long-term deal for Ekitike this weekend.

On the back of his side's failed pursuit of the young attacker being made official, it therefore came as little surprise when the subject of Newcastle's interest in Ekitike was put to none other than Eddie Howe earlier today.

The English tactician, though, was quick to assure that 'no hard feelings' exist on the part of the Magpies, despite all at the club being of the opinion that Ekitike 'could have done a really good job' at St. James' Park:

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