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Why Newcastle’s £69million record-signing could reinvent himself in midfield heading into crunch Qarabag showdown
Nick Woltemade has divided opinion since joining Newcastle United in a club-record £69million transfer last September.
The Germany striker reached double figures for the Magpies in Saturday’s 3-1 FA Cup win at Aston Villa, ending a 14-game goal drought, but also flattered to deceive at times.
Here, DAZN News analyses whether the 24-year-old’s best position could be in midfield as Eddie Howe’s side prepare for the first leg of their Champions League play-off against Azerbaijani champions Qarabag on Wednesday night.
Dream start to life on Tyneside
Newcastle fans love a centre forward and goodness knows they needed one after losing Alexander Isak to Liverpool in the summer.
In came Woltemade, who had impressed in the Bundesliga at Stuttgart and the Magpies spent big on the 6ft 6in forward.
The move saw them branded them “idiots” by German icon Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, now a Bayern Munich board member and legendary ex-player.
That vicious jibe did not stop Woltemade continuing his impressive start to life on Tyneside as the goals kept flowing in September and October.
When he netted in a 2-0 home win over Tottenham Hotspur on October 29, it was Woltemade’s sixth goal in his first 11 appearances.
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Derby-day nightmare and struggle for goals
Newcastle lost 1-0 to sworn enemies Sunderland on December 14, with the game decided by Woltemade’s own-goal.
Almost inexplicably, he headed a cross from Sunderland defender Nordi Mukiele in off the crossbar and into the net to send the Stadium of Light into raptures.
It was a disastrous day for the Magpies, but Woltemade in particular and he struggled at the other end of the field too.
Since that goal against Tottenham at the end of October, the 24-year-old found the net just three times for Newcastle in 26 games.
Indeed, he was in and out of the starting line-up and had gone 14 matches without a goal before scoring at Villa Park in Saturday’s FA Cup fourth-round win.
Afterwards, Howe spoke about Woltemade’s skillset being well-suited to a deeper-lying role in midfield.
Joelinton Mark II?
In July 2019, Newcastle signed Joelinton for a club-record £40m from Hoffenheim on a six-year deal.
Like Woltemade, he arrived as a club-record signing and amid much fanfare, being handed the club's iconic No 9 jersey.
But he scored just two Premier League goals in his first season and was written off by the majority of supporters and observers.
Howe, appointed at St James’ Park in November 2021, gradually transformed the Brazilian into a midfielder and he has proved a hugely influential presence in that position in recent seasons.
With Woltemade possessing plenty of skill, it has been suggested he might be better suited in the middle of the park.
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Huge impact at Villa and goal drought ended
Woltemade played behind Will Osula in the win at Villa Park, with captain Bruno Guimaraes expected to be out for a couple of months after sustaining a hamstring injury.
The giant German impressed alongside Sandro Tonali and Jacob Ramsey, earning plenty of plaudits from his manager for his clever passing and defensive work.
Although Howe stressed that Woltemade was signed as a centre forward, the Toon boss said: “I knew Nick’s best work was done low on the pitch, coming deep to link play.
“One of the reasons we wanted to sign him was his technical ability, added to a lot of other strengths that he's got.
“So, even when we were playing him as a 9, we were encouraging him to come deeper on the pitch.
“We started him deeper on the pitch [against Villa]. I don't think there's a massive difference between the two.
“But I think when he's playing and starting deeper, obviously, there's a bigger defensive responsibility and that's where I have to give him particular praise because he understood what the team needed.
“He understood the importance of the defensive aspect and I thought he was outstanding.”
Quite what will be Woltemade's best position moving forward remains to be seen, but he is certainly an option in the No 10 role as Newcastle seek to overcome Qarabag and clinch their place in the last 16 of the Champions League.
Full Champions League fixture list for knockout play-offs
Tuesday, 17 February
- Galatasaray vs. Juventus
- Benfica vs. Real Madrid
- Borussia Dortmund vs. Atalanta
- Monaco vs. Paris Saint-Germain
Wednesday, 18 February
- Qarabag vs. Newcastle United
- Bodo/Glimt vs. Inter Milan
- Club Brugge vs. Atletico Madrid
- Olympiakos vs. Bayer Leverkusen
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