Nick Woltemade silenced a lot of critics after his Newcastle United debut, including Philipp Lahm.
The 23-year-old was under huge pressure ahead of his first appearance. He is Newcastle’s most expensive signing ever at £69million, while he is also replacing Alexander Isak.
The jury was very much out, but the landscape was very different come 5pm on Saturday. Woltemade had enjoyed the perfect debut, scoring the Magpies’ winner against Wolves.
His overall performance was positive, combining well with his new teammates before slamming home a header that Alan Shearer would be proud of. It should be the first of many goals for Newcastle United, as Woltemade quickly settles into life as a Premier League striker.
Nick Woltemade looks on during Newcastle United vs Wolves at St James' Park.
Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images
What Philipp Lahm said about Nick Woltemade joining Newcastle United
Woltemade’s sublime debut comes after he received criticism from Germany’s World Cup winning captain Philipp Lahm.
The former Bayern Munich defender was critical of his move from Stuttgart to Newcastle United, describing it as a ‘gamble’ as part of his column for the Guardian.
“The €85m (£73.5m) that Newcastle are paying for Woltemade is therefore a gamble,” he wrote.
“For the player, the new contract is a once-in-a-lifetime project. He wanted to go to Bayern Munich, and when someone else paid the asking price, he went there.
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“The owners from Saudi Arabia and the club’s management are new to the business. In a gold rush atmosphere, mistakes are made and miracles are believed in.”
Despite Lahm’s comments, Newcastle agreed a deal worth £69million for Woltemade, including add-ons.
Nick Woltemade already proves he will shine at Newcastle United after Bayern Munich miss out
Newcastle have gambled on Woltemade, but that can be true of any transfer. Liverpool have gambled on Isak, Chelsea have gambled on Joao Pedro, Manchester United have gambled on Benjamin Sesko. There are simply no guarantees.
But to question Newcastle’s decision to spend so much money on Woltemade is extremely naive of Lahm. Since the PIF takeover, decisions made regarding transfers have bordered on perfection. The Magpies have invested in potential, bringing in players who Eddie Howe can improve.
Woltemade falls into that category, and already proved on his debut that he is going to be a great fit on Tyneside. He offered something different in attack, linking up play and getting more involved than Isak ever did. Over time, that will only benefit the other offensive players that surround Woltemade.
When it comes to Bayern Munich, they simply could not afford Woltemade. Their budget went on Luis Diaz, meaning they were forced to miss out.
In contrast, Newcastle had the capacity to splash out on the giant German. They may have overspent, but that was totally relative to the Magpies’ situation and their desperation to buy an Isak replacement.
In Woltemade, they have got exactly that. His debut was one to remember, and it will not be long until the likes of Lahm are forced to admit they were totally wrong.