There I was, just finished watching us draw Barcelona at home, PSG away and thinking about a Fabian Schar x Joelinton coming together against Mason Greenwood. And out of nowhere, BOOM, Nick Woltemade is on his way to the North East.
I did not see this coming, I don’t think any fan did. Craig Hope mentioned it quietly in his 5pm update and Keith Downie confirmed the news later on. A fee of £65m plus £4m in add-ons (nice). Perhaps slightly more than we would have wanted to pay for the 23-year-old, but that's what happens when you leave it so late to sign players.
Friday morning will be busy, between completing Woltemade's medical and trying to do it with enough time to see him registered in time for the Leeds game. Granted I don’t see him getting much game time if he is registered, but a small cameo could be made for the 6’6” striker.
Nick Woltemade looks set to be Newcastle’s new star to lead the attack
More importantly, does Nick Woltemade finally answer our Isak problem? Yes, absolutely he does. They are statistically incredibly similar. Having scored just over half the number of goals as Isak in half the number of games is nothing short of incredible. Nick Woltemade manages to net 0.71 times per 90, 0.05 less than what Isak managed last season. The Germans' shots on target is over 50% with the Swede only managing 44%. Woltemade managed to create more goal-scoring opportunities per game last season and boasted just less than double the tackling percentage of Isak. Nick Woltmade seems like the perfect fit for Eddie Howe and his system.
Something I have rarely touched on in these articles is whether these players actually pass the eye test. Does he actually look good? We have seen with Sesko that stats don’t always translate. There will, of course, be a transitioning period, but that should be short-lived (and non-existent against a side 3 divisions below you). So will Woltemade hit the ground running? I think he can.
If you want to see specifically what I am talking about, check out this thread. Woltemade is exceptional at a few things. A big one is using his huge frame to guard against defenders when turning with the ball, leading to a more successful shot. He can find gaps well in the defence, allowing teammates to play him through. And he isn’t afraid to take players on, even the keeper. The German bends his runs well, he strikes the ball well, he finds a way to lose defenders with ease and always stays active around the box allowing him to beat defenders to second balls. What I will say is from the highlights I have seen, he is very right-footed when it comes to shooting. Something I am sure Howe and co won’t have any problem dealing with.
Another tall player for Eddie to use on corners and someone who will thrive from all of the crosses we put into the box. The 23-year-old has a very bright future on Tyneside and I, for one, am excited to see it first-hand.