National player Nick Woltemade actually wanted to stay in Newcastle. But then there were events that made the national striker change his mind. Now he is in Turin and initially finds similar problems.
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From Nick Woltemade’s point of view, last Sunday evening was like a roller coaster ride. Half a week after arriving at his new club Juventus Turin, the striker sat on the bench for 75 minutes in the prestigious duel with AC Milan before coach Luciano Spalletti sent him onto the field when the score was 0-1. In stoppage time, the 24-year-old German took the free kick, which his teammate Federico Gatti sank to make the final score 1-1.
Anyone who expected lavish praise for the German international after the final whistle was disappointed. The opposite was the case. Spalletti indicated that Woltemade’s place on the bench would probably not change for the time being. Woltemade must first reach the necessary fitness level. The Juve coach would like to continue to rely entirely on Randal Kolo Muani in the attack. So is Woltemade now threatened with the same fate in Turin, which is why he turned his back on Newcastle?
On the last day of the transfer window, the Premier League club and Juventus agreed on a one-year loan for Woltemade. According to “Sport Bild”, the Turin team will cover the entire salary of seven to eight million euros per season. The DFB star’s goal is clear: to collect significantly more playing minutes than was the case in England.
Jaissle’s problems with Woltemade
The reasons for Woltemade’s last-minute change are more complex. August 23rd plays a crucial role in the Juve deal: on the first Premier League matchday against Liverpool FC (2-2), Woltemade languished on the substitutes’ bench for 90 minutes. A circumstance that is said to have greatly annoyed the attacker and his management. The style of play in this game, with lots of long balls and few combinations, is also said to have surprised Woltemade. The 1.98 m tall striker began to doubt whether he had any real prospects at the “Magpies” under the new coach Matthias Jaissle and this style of play.
The German coach, who came from Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli in the summer, is said to have been unhappy with Woltemade’s preparation for the season. Jaissle is said to have seen a lot of room for improvement and was not averse to leaving. The club bosses shared the coach’s opinion. They didn’t believe that Woltemade would still prevail. And that’s why they were prepared to give it up again after just one season.
That’s why Newcastle are said to have examined several change options behind Woltemade’s back over the summer. There was contact with FC Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund, among others. Because Woltemade itself didn’t necessarily want to leave for a long time, the whole thing never became concrete. That changed when Juve finally came knocking.
2.75 million euros rental fee
Late in the evening of August 31st, all sides agreed on the loan. The very next morning, Woltemade took off on a private plane to Turin and was officially presented that same day. Juventus paid a €2.75 million loan fee to Newcastle, where Woltemade’s contract runs until 2031. Bonus payments can increase the sum by around another million euros.
Coach Spalletti is said to have expressed clear expectations to Woltemade in the past few days: The offensive man should bring even more physical quality to the Juve game thanks to his size, be present as a header and achieve many shots in the penalty area. But Spalletti also knows that his arrival is a player who likes to let himself go and take part in the build-up of the game.
At his presentation in Turin, Woltemade himself highlighted “technique and understanding of the game” as his greatest strengths. The next opportunity for Woltemade to prove this is next Sunday. Then Juve will face Sassuolo away on matchday four of Serie A.
