Nick Woltemade has had a rip-roaring start to life at Newcastle United and Eddie Howe knows how he’s caught the Premier League cold.
Things were looking scary like Halloween at points in the summer transfer window, when Alexander Isak made it clear he wanted out and Newcastle United couldn’t sign a striker for love nor money.
Yet it could not have turned out much better. Isak has struggled at Liverpool after his £125m switch, while his replacement has hit the ground running.
Nick Woltemade has been sensational since joining Newcastle, making a mockery of his critics from a bitter Bayern Munich boardroom.
The giant German already has six goals for the club after just 11 games. By October 31 a year ago, Isak had notched only three. He finished the season with 27, so Woltemade could realistically challenge that tally.
But what’s been even more impressive than his form in front of goal has been his excellent play on the ball.
A match doesn’t go by without Woltemade pulling out a breathtaking piece of skill or an awe-inspiring first touch.
Eddie Howe believes his incredible technical ability, coupled with his huge frame, has caught defenders off guard.
Nick Woltemade makes a hand gesture to celebrate scoring for Newcastle United.
Photo by Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images
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Eddie Howe explains how Nick Woltemade has got the better of defenders at Newcastle
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s trip to West Ham in his press conference, which included good news for Lewis Hall, Howe was asked if Woltemade has already proven to be a big success.
“It’s early days and I would prefer to keep my answer saved for a future date because time will tell,” the manager replied.
“But on and off the pitch, he has been first class and his team ethics are brilliant.
“Some of the interplay on Wednesday, he was pivotal to it. We still have to bring out more from his game but the early signs are really positive.
“He has variety and he is not one-dimensional. With his height and technical ability, it can be a surprise for his opponents.
“His challenge is consistency and long-term success as teams find plans with how to deal with him.”
"We're really pleased with him, he's been first class"
Eddie Howe discusses Nick Woltemade, who leads the way with goals in comparison to other big-money striker signings from last summer ⚽ pic.twitter.com/V0qPM722c0
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) October 31, 2025
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Eddie Howe identifies a potential problem for Nick Woltemade
Woltemade casually nodded in the second goal in Wednesday’s win over Tottenham, but it was a turn on the edge of the box that sent defenders flying and some lovely passing that really caught the eye.
Yet, Howe does have a pertinent point: how will Woltemade cope once defenders have got more familiar with his game? When managers devise plans to curtail his influence?
If the 23-year-old has caught defenders cold, it won’t be long before they warm up to him the more he plays in the Premier League.
That could be a problem for Woltemade if he is unable to adapt in turn, yet, 11 games in and there have been few signs of teams being able to suss him out yet.