Newcastle United have agreed a club-record £70million deal to sign Stuttgart forward Nick Woltemade, according to The Guardian, with the 23-year-old set for a medical on Tyneside on Friday.
The Germany international scored 17 goals in 33 appearances last season and has been tracked by Bayern Munich throughout the summer.
Newcastle, however, moved ahead of the Bundesliga champions with an offer worth £65m plus £5m in add-ons, eclipsing the £63m fee the club paid for Alexander Isak three years ago.
Woltemade’s
arrival ends a summer-long search for a replacement for Callum Wilson, who left for West Ham earlier in the window. Eddie Howe’s side had bids rejected for Wolves’ Jørgen Strand Larsen and Brentford’s Yoane Wissa, while other targets including Benjamin Sesko and Hugo Ekitike joined rival clubs.
Isak’s future, meanwhile, remains unresolved. The Sweden striker is on strike after publicly accusing Newcastle of breaking promises and has made clear his desire to join Liverpool. Newcastle rejected a £110m offer earlier this month but a new bid closer to £130m is expected, particularly now that Howe has secured another centre-forward.
For Newcastle, Woltemade offers a blend of physical presence and technical quality. Standing at 6ft 6in, he has been compared by Stuttgart fans to a “Two metre Messi-Musiala,” able to drop deep, link play and create as well as finish chances. Howe is understood to be especially keen on his versatility across the front line.
With Anthony Elanga, Malick Thiaw, Jacob Ramsey and Aaron Ramsdale also added this summer, Newcastle’s squad depth has been strengthened. Whether Woltemade’s arrival also signals the end of Isak’s time at St James’ Park is a question that will dominate the final days of the transfer window.
