Nick Woltemade Addresses Summer Transfer Fee Comments

In an interview with Bild am Sonntag (via @iMiaSanMia), Newcastle United striker Nick Woltemade addressed recent comments regarding his summer transfer.

After moving from Stuttgart to Newcastle for a substantial €75 million, Bayern Munich’s Karl-Heinz Rummenigge referred to the Premier League club as ‘idiots’ for the fee they paid for the 23-year-old player on transfer deadline day.

Responding to the remark, Woltemade stated, “My teammates commented on it, but I chose not to. I believe that was the right approach. My name, Bayern, and the transfer fee dominated the summer narrative. While headlines proclaimed ‘idiots,’ I read Mr. Rummenigge’s entire statement and found it somewhat unfortunate but not overly dramatic.”

Woltemade’s transfer set a record sale for Stuttgart as he joined Newcastle. A considerable amount of discussion surrounded the fee paid by the Saudi-owned club, and he acknowledged his awareness of the situation: “The transfer fee was a highly visible topic that I could not escape. I was frequently faced with it. However, I am not responsible for the amounts involved. I am simply grateful that Newcastle recognized my potential enough to invest that sum.”

He elaborated, “Ultimately, it doesn’t matter if I transfer from Werder Bremen to Stuttgart on a free or from VfB Stuttgart to Newcastle for €75 million. I understand that such a transfer fee attracts more attention. However, the perception of transfer fees is much more relaxed in England compared to Germany. Within the team, the transfer fee doesn’t influence our dynamics.”

Despite a promising start to his career at St. James’ Park, Woltemade’s recent performance has stabilized, having scored six goals across 14 matches in all competitions.

Reflecting on his initial period in the North East, he remarked, “The entire Newcastle scenario had the potential for tension, especially since I arrived on the last day of the transfer window, alongside the significant fee. Expectations soared when Newcastle’s top striker, Alexander Isak, departed. The season’s start was challenging, and I felt the pressure. I was relieved when that pressure began to ease.”

— Jack Meenan, GGFN