NEWCASTLE UNITED face a major battle to land long-term attacking target Hugo Ekitike after Borussia Dortmund identified the teenage striker as one of their preferred replacements for Erling Haaland.

Having watched his side beat Burnley yesterday to secure an 11th-placed finish in the Premier League, Magpies head coach Eddie Howe has immediately turned his attention to a planned summer overhaul of his squad.

Signing a new striker is a priority, with Ekitike having remained on Newcastle’s radar ever since a proposed move fell through in the January transfer window.

Newcastle officials agreed the framework of a deal worth around £26m with Reims in late January, but Ekitike backed out of a possible move to St James’ Park on deadline day insisting he did not feel ready to leave France.

He will almost certainly be moving on this summer, and Newcastle have lined up a fresh approach, having received strong indications from Reims that they are prepared to do business on broadly the same terms that were agreed in January.

However, the situation has been complicated by competing interest from Borussia Dortmund, who need to replace Haaland after the Norwegian agreed a £51m move to Manchester City.

Borussia Dortmund dismissed their manager, Marco Rose, last week despite finishing second in the Bundesliga, and are set to embark on a major rebuilding project this summer.

They have already signed 20-year-old Germany international Karim Adeyemi from Red Bull Salzburg, but are also keen to land Ekitike as part of that overhaul, and while the 19-year-old has previously expressed a desire to play in the Premier League, the prospect of playing Champions League football at Signal Iduna Park might well appeal.

Ekitike scored 11 goals in 27 Ligue 1 appearances for Reims this season, and also chipped in with five assists.

Newcastle’s recruitment team have discussed potential alternatives to the youngster, with Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin understood to be under consideration along with Chelsea striker Armando Broja, who spent the current campaign on loan at Southampton.