Stade Reims president Jean-Pierre Caillot says he expects striker Hugo Ekitike to be sold at the end of the season.

The Frenchman has reportedly been watched by a host of Premier League clubs, with Chelsea believed to have scouted him in February, along with the likes of Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Leicester, West Ham and Newcastle.

Caillot has also revealed that Reims rejected a sizeable offer for Ekitike during the January transfer window, but he says they won’t stand in the forward’s way if they receive a bid this summer:

“In Hugo’s case, he would waste time staying with us. We refused an offer of €35 million (£29m) this winter, which is a lot of money for a club like ours. That money will be used to grow and improve the club. Hugo will be allowed to go, and he’s probably going to leave. There wasn’t a big club that didn’t inquire for him.”

Chelsea are not in a position to buy Ekitike at the moment, due to the club’s ownership situation, although scouts are still likely to be keeping tabs on the player’s progress.

The 19-year-old has been sidelined with a hamstring injury over the past couple of months, but he did start the campaign in good form, with 10 goals in 24 appearances.