Why Newcastle should be looking at Lukas Podolski’s Cologne understudy
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From Klaas-Jan Huntelaar to Ruud van Nistelrooy, Heerenveen have a reputation as something of a breeding ground for top-level strikers with even the likes of Georgios Samaras and Jon Dahl-Tomasson shining at the club.
And if Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew is serious about recruiting another forward to the Magpies’ ranks, he could do far worse than look to the Eredivisie club, and a forgotten German who is currently firing on all cylinders, for answers.
Mark Uth is not exactly a household name, having previously risen through the ranks of Bundesliga club Cologne.
A one-time Germany under-20 international, the striker was forever in the shadow of his club’s hometown favourite and current Arsenal benchwarmer Lukas Podolski.
Yet even after the fan favourite left for the Emirates, Uth struggled to secure much in the way of first team football, with the club opting to let the striker leave on a free in the summer of 2012.
But Cologne’s loss was soon Heerenveen’s gain with the Dutch club snapping up the striker on a three-year contract.
Not that it was all plain sailing from there with Uth playing just five times during his debut season at the club, scoring once, before heading out on loan to Heracles.
It was here that the former Cologne man showed his worth, scoring eight goals for the unfashionable Eredivisie outfit, including a memorable hat-trick against Waalwijk last term.
Now back at Heerenveen and full of confidence, Uth is in the midst of his best ever season to date, having scored 11 goals in 16 league appearances for the club.
Joint top scorer in the Dutch league at present, the German will surely be attracting glances from other clubs across Europe soon and with his contract running down, he could be available at a bargain price for a club like Newcastle.
Uth may have once played second fiddle to Podolski at Cologne, but that could all change come January.
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