Nick Woltemade has offered Newcastle United honchos a clear indication of where he believes he can be at his best, potentially forcing a rethink of the manager’s tactical approach that limited his impact for much of last season.
The Germany international returned to preseason training on Monday after participating in the World Cup and he should be expected to play a prominent role following a mixed first campaign on Tyneside.
After impressing as a center-forward to start last season, Woltemade struggled
as Newcastle’s attack lost its fluency before Eddie Howe experimented with using him in midfield very late in the campaign. Woltemade’s form improved late in the season, however, when he operated behind striker Will Osula in a 4-2-3-1 system that deviated from Howe’s preferred 4-3-3 shape.
Speaking to former Bayern Munich and Germany forward Thomas Muller in an interview published Monday, Woltemade left little doubt about the role he believes suits him best, sending a clear message under a month from the Premier League start.
“Preferably in a two-striker system or behind the striker,” Woltemade said. “It’s better for me to play with a lot of freedom and when I have someone around me.”
Woltemade’s strongest performances in black and white came when he had the freedom to drift between the lines rather than leading the attack in isolation or dropping down too much into Newcastle’s midfield.
With Newcastle having Woltemade, Yoane Wissa and Will Osula as their main forwards/strikers, they could use one of the latter two alongside Woltemade to maximize the potential of one of the club’s biggest-ever signings. Woltemade’s message on his preferred role may now become one of the biggest tactical decisions heading into the 2026-27 season.
