Newcastle United’s attacking reset will need to deliver quickly next season, and football legend Teddy Sheringham believes the club must give Nick Woltemade the right platform after an uneven first year.
Speaking to Chronicle Live’s Lee Ryder on behalf of ComeOn, Sheringham urged Newcastle to appreciate Woltemade’s wider game rather than judge him only as a scorer, adapting the squad to his talents.
“Nick Woltemade’s not just a goalscorer, is he? He’s a provider as well, and he’s got good awareness
of the other footballers around,” Sheringham said. “He’s similar to Wayne Rooney.”
Woltemade scored 11 goals in his first Newcastle season, but his campaign included positional changes and a midseason spell out of the team before joining Germany at the World Cup.
Sheringham warned that moving him around too often may not help his development.
“When you play in lots of different positions, it’s not always good for you, and Newcastle fans want to see Woltemade scoring goals,” Sheringham said. “That’s all that matters when you’re a striker, ultimately.”
Woltemade formed half of Newcastle’s £124 million strike partnership with Yoane Wissa last season. Wissa had a stronger World Cup, scoring three goals for DR Congo.
Sheringham said both players must start quickly in 2026-27, with Newcastle facing major competition around the European places.
“They both need to hit the ground running in the new season because there are so many teams from second to ninth competing that I think it’s going to be a fascinating season,” Sheringham said.
Newcastle has already lost major attacking and midfield talent this summer, making Woltemade and Wissa even more important, and in the eyes of Sheringham, if Eddie Howe is going to steady the club after a chaotic window, his £124 million pairing cannot afford another slow start.
