Nick Woltemade has defended his first season at Newcastle United after Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann warned the forward has often been used too far from goal and in the wrong positions on the pitch by manager Eddie Howe.
Woltemade finished his debut campaign in Tyneside with 11 goals, but his form dipped during the second half of the season following a strong start, with Howe thinking it’d be better to use him in deeper, midfield roles, if not benching him altogether.
That positional shift and his
lack of playing time became a major talking point before the 2026 World Cup, with Woltemade set to start as Germany’s bona fide striker at the tournament.
“He’s not a classic counter-attacking striker,” Nagelsmann said, per Chronicle Live. “At Newcastle, he’s often 70 metres away from goal, which makes it difficult for him to get into the box.”
Nagelsmann said Germany will try to use Woltemade closer to the goal this summer, where he thinks the forward belongs.
“He often initiated things out wide, and then the ball was in the box so quickly that he could no longer get there himself,” Nagelsmann said. “You have to get him closer to goal.”
The Germany coach, however, made clear he was not attacking Howe’s approach in using Woltemade deeper down the pitch.
“Every coach chooses his own style,” Nagelsmann said.
Woltemade, meanwhile, has also pushed back on suggestions that his form collapsed during his first year in England, thinking he performed at a good level even if the numbers don’t resemble it.
“It bothers me,” Woltemade told Sueddeutsche Zeitung in April. “If someone claims that I’m in a slump, I’d argue that this person doesn’t watch many Newcastle games.
“I know people associate me with goals, but you can’t compare a striker’s tally with that of a midfielder playing 50, 60, 70 meters from the opponent’s goal. I’m currently a completely different Nick Woltemade than I was at the start of the season.”
Woltemade has played 10 international games with Germany’s senior squad, scoring four goals. Back in March, during his two most recent caps, he logged 27 and 78 minutes, respectively, failing to score each time.
