On August 30th, the buzz surrounding Newcastle United hit a peak as they officially brought Nick Woltemade on board from VfB Stuttgart. With a hefty price tag of €70 million plus an extra €5 million in potential bonuses, this deal has definitely made headlines!
Before Newcastle snagged him, Bayern Munich had their eyes set on Woltemade and made multiple attempts to seal the deal. However, they just couldn’t find common ground with Stuttgart. Max Eberl, Bayern Munich’s director, recently shared his thoughts on their summer dealings during an interview with 11 Freunde, and he didn’t shy away from mentioning their quest for the young striker.
Eberl revealed that the 23-year-old was initially eager to join Bayern. “Nick Woltemade repeatedly confirmed to us that he absolutely wanted to join FC Bayern,” he said, emphasizing that it ultimately came down to Stuttgart’s refusal to accept their offer, which is, of course, their prerogative when dealing with a player under contract.
The reaction from Bayern Munich hasn’t been the most positive. Club board member Karl-Heinz Rummenigge was quite vocal, even dubbing Newcastle “idiots” for splurging on Woltemade. That’s a strong choice of words for sure!
Fussball Transfers picked up more from Eberl’s reflections about Woltemade, as he laid out their approach to negotiating the transfer. “We weren’t willing to surpass the threshold we had set to sign him,” he explained. It was clear they had a budget in mind, and sticking to it was critical for their strategy.
Eberl admired Woltemade’s talent, saying, “Nick is still a great player and a super guy,” but he made it clear that the forward plays a different game compared to Florian Wirtz. Their decision came down to maintaining their budget while aiming for the right fit.
Now, as for Woltemade, he seems to be settling in nicely at St James’ Park. With five goals in his first nine matches — including a notable three in his last three league games — he’s quickly won over the hearts of Newcastle fans. It’s always exciting when a new player lights up the pitch, and Woltemade is definitely doing just that! It’s clear he’s not just another name on the roster; he’s becoming a beloved figure in the squad.
So, as the season progresses, it’ll be intriguing to see how both teams fare in the long run. Will Bayern regret missing out on this rising star? Only time will tell, but one thing’s for sure: Woltemade is making a name for himself in the Premier League!
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