The Germany striker returns to his homeland for a Champions League tie against Bayer Leverkusen
Nick Woltemade of Newcastle United(Image: Newcastle United via Getty Images)
Nick Woltemade returns to Germany this week with words of endorsement ringing in his ears and the backing that his decision to join Newcastle United was the right one.
The 23-year-old made a stunning transfer move in the summer as the Magpies pulled off a sensational coup to land the striker for £69million from Stuttgart.
The shock swoop came after weeks of Woltemade being linked with Bayern Munich. The frontman had been one of the standout stars of the Bundesliga last season, and followed it up with a starring role for Germany’s U21s in the European Championships.
Bayern, however, dallied on the move, refusing to pay Stuttgart’s asking price, allowing Newcastle to slip in on the blind side and tie up a club record deal.
It was a move that the German giants didn’t react well to. Bayern Munich chief Karl-Heinz Rummenigge dubbed United ‘idiots’ for paying such a high fee and he is one of a number of officials to take a public pop at the Woltemade deal.
Woltemade has been an instant hit on Tyneside, however. He has scored seven goals this season, and broke his duck on the international stage to fully prove he made the right decision in moving to Tyneside.
It’s a message endorsed by former Newcastle star and German international Dietmar Hamman, who says Newcastle are a ‘better fit’ for Woltemade than Bayern, and he has a chance to develop his career further with the Magpies than he would have if he’d stayed in the Bundesliga.
“Does Nick Woltemade have an even bigger ceiling at Newcastle? I think he does,” Hamann told CoinPoker. “He’s playing against the best players, best defenders now, and he stands his ground.
“For any team, sometimes when you want to mix it up towards the end of the game, to bring him on for the last 20, 25 minutes, he’ll cause carnage. So, you know, I think the sky’s the limit for him.
“Sometimes you only find out when you make that step. In a way probably helped him because Newcastle is probably the better fit now than Bayern Munich even though Bayern Munich are playing really well but he wouldn’t have played because Harry Kane is there and he’s scoring every week.
“You only find out how good these players are when you play at that level when you test them and you know he’s been tested now for three or four months he passed the test. I think anything is possible for him.”
Woltemade will be back in the spotlight when he returns to his homeland on Wednesday when Newcastle take on Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League. The player has been the subject of much media scrutiny since his move, with the German media keen to get the verdict of Bundesliga figures.
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