Newcastle United head to China for The Asia Trophy next week currently in transition after another turbulent summer at the club with the departure of popular manager Rafa Benitez and top goalscorer Ayoze Perez from St. James' Park.

Takeover talk on Tyneside has hamstrung the club somewhat so far in both manager and player hunts amid the pervading sense that if a takeover happens, targets on both lists will be dramatically revised.

Football never stops, however, and Newcastle have fixtures next week against Wolves, West Ham and Man City potentially so at some point a decision is going to have to be made and a new man come in to do the job with new players following soon after.

Benitez left Newcastle's defence and midfield with good foundations that can be built on so the main area of improvement and replacement is in attack as Newcastle have lost 12-goal Ayoze Perez, 11 goal Salomon Rondon and 2-goal Joselu from the attacking ranks.

Could it be time for The Super Mario brothers to help The Magpies level up?

  1. Mario Balotelli - Free Agent

What better man to lead the Newcastle line against Man City next week in China than their former player and Premier League Champion Mario Balotelli?

The 28-year-old Italy striker is a free agent after leaving Marseille and has reportedly been offered to West Ham yet could Newcastle swoop in first and bolster their front line with one of the most controversial figures in football? Eight goals in 12 games for Marseille from January to May, 2019 are the exactly the kind of stats that attracted The Magpies to Demba Ba & Loic Remy and suggest it could be the most sensible move of the summer.

2. Mario Gomez - Stuttgart - £2M?

The legendary Germany striker of 300 careeer goals is currently languishing in the second tier of the Bundesliga with Stuttgart despite nearly 300 career club goals and a glittering medal haul that includes The Champions League.

Gomez said he would stay at Stuttgart to help them return to The Bundesliga in 2018 yet after an agonizing Play-off Final loss to Union Berlin, the lure of one last shot in the big time may prove too strong.

Clocked as the fastest German player at the 2018 World Cup, the player who turns 34 today shows no signs of slowing down and a move to England would be comparable to that of another former Stuttgart striker Jurgen Klinsmann, whose switch to Tottenham as a 33 year-old saw him set the Premiership on fire as he notched 9 goals in 15 games.

3. Danny Welbeck - Free Agent

Newcastle were reported to have offered a contract last night to England striker Danny Welbeck.

The 28 year-old Manchester United youth product scored 16 goals for Arsenal in 88 games, the same number he's managed to score for England in 42 matches.

Question marks linger over his ability to stay fit but there's no doubting his pedigree and his ability when fit and the pacy frontman can also play wide which would expand Newcastle's attacking options going into 2019/20.

4. Joelinton - £25M - Hoffenheim - Statement Striker

Brazilian striker Joelinton is a 22-year-old striker currently plying in his trade in Hoffenheim and has been identified and monitored by the NUFC scouting hierarchy although it is believed Rafa Benitez was not keen when he was boss.

Fast and strong, he has netted 36 times in 135 games in a career already spanning Serie A and the German and Austrian Bundesligas for Sport Recife, Hoffenheim and Sk Rapid Wein, where he spent two loan seasons and he has represented Brazil at Under 17 level.

Including domestic Cup and European competition, Joelinton has averaged a goal every 3.5 games in the past 4 seasons but would 10 goals a season be enough for Newcastle?