Newcastle United keen on summer move for prolific German forward with impressive goals-per-game ratio

Paul Mitchell faces a difficult summer as he looks to recruit players for Newcastle United's huge season back in Europe with several positions desperately in need of strengthening.

A centre-forward is a high priority for Newcastle, but the problem is that we already have one of, if not the world's best strikers, on the books, which means anyone we recruit is likely going to have to be okay playing second fiddle to Alexander Isak.

That makes moves for the likes of Jonathan David, who remains our personal favourite to recruit this summer, given his free agent status, very difficult.

There's a school of thought that suggests the Magpies will look to recruit a versatile forward to play on the right wing which is perhaps the priority position, but finding one who can also play through the middle, like Bryan Mbeumo, could satisfy both needs.

Newcastle are reportedly keen on Mainz striker Jonathan Burkardt

The other option is to recruit a centre-forward who has good quality but is comfortable being second-choice or indeed fighting for their place in the team.

German journalist Christian Falk (h/t Give Me Sport) is now reporting that Newcastle may have found such a player in Mainz forward Jonathan Burkardt, who has been scoring for fun in the Bundesliga this season.

From just 23 appearances in the Bundesliga this season, Burkardt has bagged 15 goals and provided three assists.

Jonathan Burkardt looks like he could be an excellent squad player for Newcastle

Jonathan Burkardt is a centre-forward, but the 24-year-old has been deployed on the right wing for Mainz this season, making him kind of the reverse of Bryan Mbeumo, but there's nothing to say the Magpies wouldn't recruit both this summer, which would be ideal.

There's no indication as to what Newcastle would be expected to pay for Burkardt, but Mainz are resigned to losing the forward this summer, with other top clubs looking at him too.

Bukardt has been capped three times by Germany which isn't an easy side to get into these days, so he's clearly got the quality, now it just remains to be seen how interested Newcastle actually are if at all, and whether they feel he has the qualities required to be successful in the Premier League.

On paper, he looks like a good option if he comes at a relatively cheap cost. A good squad player which we will need if we're to sustain an assault on four competitions next season.