Newcastle United eye fresh move for 5-goal striker - Nottingham Forest also linked

Newcastle United are expected to be in the market for a striker in the January transfer window as they react to a raft of injuries, particularly in attack, with the likes of Callum Wilson, Alexander Isak, Jacob Murphy and Harvey Barnes all struggling for fitness.

Eddie Howe is believed to be monitoring a number of strikers including 29-year-old Werder Bremen forward Marvin Ducksch.  

That’s according to SportBILD journalist Christian Falk, who adds Newcastle to the mix for the striker as he continues to impress in Germany this season.

Ducksch has a record of five goals and three assists from 11 league matches this term, while he has also scored in his one appearance in the German Cup.

The 6ft2 forward has been a consistent goalscorer for a number of years in Germany, but his path to top-flight football took longer than many strikers…

Ducksch progressed through the esteemed Borussia Dortmund academy in 2011 at a time when he was on the radar of the German national team’s youth systems - playing regularly from U15 to U18 level.

He impressed during his time with Dortmund’s B team and scored 36 goals in 84 appearances but was given little opportunity to shine for the first team in the Bundesliga and was sold after just six appearances. Ducksch was on the fringes of the SC Paderborn and FC St Pauli team before really finding his feet with Holstein Kiel in the second tier of German football - scoring 18 in 33 games.

A failed spell with Fortuna Dusseldorf followed before a prolific two-year stint with Hannover 96 and now he has translated that form into the top-flight with Werder Bremen.

Ducksch fired Bremen to promotion in his first season with 20 goals in 29 appearances and found the net 12 times in 34 appearances last season, despite playing for a struggling side.

The striker is renowned for being a goal poacher and also excels in the air with his control and ability to bring others into the games.

Ducksch has had a similar climb to the top-flight to that of Ivan Toney and he could be an affordable option for Newcastle in a time where FFP regulations become increasingly important.

The experienced forward is also admired by Nottingham Forest who will hope to reinvest some of the money that they obtained from the Brennan Johnson departure in the summer.