Paris Saint-Germain had a challenging weekend after the capital club fell 1-0 to Stade Rennais on Sunday night at Roazhon Park. While the French giants are attempting to win trophies domestically and internationally, they’re also integrating young talent.
One of the young players attempting to find his way into the squad is striker Hugo Ekitike. The French striker arrived on a loan deal from Stade de Reims with an obligation to buy for a €28.5 million fee in addition to the €6.5 million bonuses.
Ekitike came into the matchup against Rennes having scored four goals in his last five games in all competitions, which is why he got the start alongside Lionel Messi and Neymar Jr. After the loss, the 20-year-old goal scorer spoke about what it’s like to play with the two players.
“These are players I watch a lot in training; you have to follow them; they see things that others don’t see,” Ekitike said postgame (h/t Foot Mercato).
“I’m starting to find my bearings little by little. After the match today, I can’t be satisfied; I didn’t have anything to eat. I’m going back to work, I want to score more and I have to continue like this.”
A report this week revealed that Ekitike is beginning to garner the confidence of Messi and Neymar as the young striker sees more minutes. The France international appears to be heading in the right direction with his development.
In the coming weeks, we’ll see if Ekitike can continue to improve his chemistry with the two South American players.