Nick Woltemade has got off to a fantastic start for Newcastle United after scoring for the Magpies against Wolves on Saturday at St James' Park
Nick Woltemade gestures while playing for Newcastle United
Nick Woltemade made a fantastic start for Newcastle United after scoring the winner against Wolves on Saturday
(Image: Richard Lee/Shutterstock)
Shay Given has heaped praise on Nick Woltemade's Newcastle United debut against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.
It took the Germany international less than half an hour to repay part of the club-record £69 million transfer fee Newcastle paid to sign him from Stuttgart this summer as a replacement for Alexander Isak. Woltemade headed home a cross from Jacob Murphy to score the game's only goal.
Newcastle beat Bayern Munich to Woltemade's signature after missing out on several striker targets this summer. Benjamin Sesko, Hugo Etikete and Liam Delap were among those to snub a move to the North East - although fans will care little now after their German striker's fine start.
And former Magpies goalkeeper Given has had his say on Woltemade and the role he could play for Eddie Howe's side this season. He believes they could make the 23-year-old a better player - as they did with Isak.
"(There was) big talk over the summer, who's going to replace Isak? And Woltemade's the man to do it, hopefully," he told Match of the Day.
"It's a brilliant start, people talk about, 'is he a number nine? Is he a number 10?'
"I think he's a bit of both... I'm excited to see him play in a Newcastle shirt, I really am.
"What he brings, he brings a presence to the team. They paid a lot of money for him, but I think there's still a very young player and I think with Eddie (Howe) and his staff, they can improve him like they did, I suppose, with Isak. They made him a better player.
"It's not rocket science. Get the ball in the box, you've got a six-foot-six-inch striker in the box and he'll score goals."
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