Nick Woltemade says the collapse of a transfer to Bayern Munich has worked out well, as the forward settles into life at Newcastle United following a club-record 69m (78m) move from Stuttgart, even though recent form includes an own goal in a 1-0 defeat to rivals Sunderland on Sunday.
The 23-year-old Germany international joined Newcastle at the end of the summer transfer window and has scored seven goals in 21 matches across all competitions, although only one of those goals has come in the last ten games, underlining a mixed start in front of goal.
Earlier in the window, Woltemade had appeared close to signing for Bayern Munich, with expectations growing that the Bundesliga champions would secure a deal, but Bayern were not ready to meet Stuttgart’s
asking price, which allowed Newcastle to step in late and reach an agreement.
Woltemade reflected on the moment that potential move faded, explaining the change of direction in the market. "When I realised that [the transfer to Bayern] probably wasn’t going to happen, I said to myself: Okay, then so be it. Everything in life has a purpose," Woltemade told Sport Bild.
Woltemade described the failed move to Bayern as a key life moment that shaped the current chapter. "The perfect example of this is the failed Bayern transfer: I’m now really happy to be in Newcastle. That wouldn’t have happened otherwise. In hindsight, I’m happy that it turned out that way. I believe that everything happens for a reason. "
The forward also detailed how Newcastle’s interest developed while Woltemade was still in Stuttgart. "When my agent told me about Newcastle’s interest, I was at home in Stuttgart. I was immediately interested and wanted to hear more. Then I had some very good conversations with Eddie Howe, who is just a great person, and afterwards I immediately felt: I’m going to do it! In the end, everything happened quite quickly. "
Woltemade’s statistics at Newcastle so far underline both promise and areas to improve, as shown below.
Although the recent own goal against Sunderland added a difficult note, Woltemade remains positive about the decision to join Newcastle and continues to look for sharper form in front of goal, aiming to convert early adaptation and trust from Eddie Howe into more consistent contributions for club and country.
