Newcastle have agreed a £70m deal for Stuttgart’s striker Nick Woltemade, who is due to have a medical on Tyneside on Friday morning. The 23-year-old’s transfer could open the door for Alexander Isak to secure his long-coveted move to Liverpool.
Woltemade has two Germany caps and loomed large on Bayern Munich’s shopping list this summer after scoring 17 goals in 33 appearances for Stuttgart last season. The fee includes £5m of add-ons.
His arrival would end Eddie Howe’s long search for a striker. After being rejected by, among others, Liam Delap, Hugo Ekitiké, João Pedro and Benjamin Sesko during a close season blemished by Isak’s decision to go on strike as the forward attempts to force a move to Anfield, this breakthrough will come as a huge relief to Newcastle’s manager.
It should also almost certainly preface a fresh bid from Liverpool for Isak. Newcastle have rebuffed one £110m offer from the Premier League champions but, given the Swede’s refusal to return to training or playing, it is thought a sum nearer £130m may be sufficient.
With Callum Wilson having joined West Ham and deep uncertainty surrounding Isak, Howe remains in the market for two strikers. This week Newcastle had a second, £55m bid rejected for Wolves’ Jørgen Strand Larsen and it appears unlikely the Norway international will be allowed to leave.
Negotiations for Brentford’s DR Congo striker Yoane Wissa remain ongoing but have proved complicated with Newcastle having at least two bids turned down for a player who appears to be intent on a transfer to St James’ Park.
Although an element of doubt surrounds the precise figure Newcastle are paying for Woltemade, it will be a club record fee, eclipsing the £63m invested in recruiting Isak from Real Sociedad three years ago.
Howe will be particularly delighted with another figure. Having wanted to add real height to his already physically powerful team, he has now acquired a deceptively skilful 6ft 6in centre-forward dubbed a “Two metre Messi-Musiala” by Stuttgart fans.
One of Woltemade’s jobs at St James’ Park will be to convert crosses supplied by Anthony Elanga, a £55m arrival from Nottingham Forest this summer. With the central defender Malick Thiaw, the midfielder Jacob Ramsey and the goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale having also joined Newcastle from Milan, Aston Villa and Southampton respectively during the current window, Howe’s squad has, albeit quietly, acquired the sort of much-needed strength in depth that may yet compensate for Isak’s prospective exit.
Meanwhile, Tottenham are poised to complete the £51.8m signing of Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig. Personal terms have been agreed with the attacking midfielder and a medical has taken place.
Barring any last-minute hitches the deal will be a major boost for Thomas Frank, who has been looking to add an attacking midfielder. Spurs have lost James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski to injury and have missed out on Eberechi Eze, who joined Arsenal from Crystal Palace, and Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White.
Chelsea were also interested in Simons but never made a bid for the 22-year-old. There are no indications that the club will disrupt their London rivals by attempting a late swoop for the Netherlands international. Chelsea are well stocked in attacking midfield, despite agreeing a £36m deal for Christopher Nkunku to join Milan. They have focused on a £40m deal for the Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho and have targets beyond Simons, including Barcelona’s Fermín López.
Spurs have been able to take advantage of Chelsea not firming up their interest. The north London club properly entered the race on Wednesday and have moved quickly to agree terms with Leipzig, who are in a hurry to finalise a deal so they can move for Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott.
Chelsea explored offloading a player to Leipzig as part of any deal for Simons but that did not appeal to the Bundesliga club and Simons flew to London on Wednesday to discuss a transfer with Spurs.
Simons, who can play in the middle or on the flanks, has been clear about his desire to leave this summer. He came through Barcelona’s academy before spells at PSV and Paris Saint-Germain, who sold him to Leipzig last January.
Guardian