Nick Woltemade appears 'lost' at Newcastle United as his wait for a World Cup debut for Germany continues, according to former Crystal Palace owner and talkSPORT pundit Simon Jordan. Jordan believes the £69million club-record signing is not the player the Magpies bought for the position they intended.
Woltemade's World Cup Frustration
Woltemade has been an unused substitute in all three of Germany's group-stage matches at the 2026 World Cup in North America. Despite starting all six of Germany's qualifiers as their number nine, manager Julian Nagelsmann has preferred Kai Havertz and Deniz Undav as forward options.
Struggles at Newcastle
The 23-year-old joined Newcastle last summer for a club-record £69million and scored 12 goals in all competitions in his debut season. However, ten of those came in his first four months, and his form dipped significantly in the second half of the campaign. Manager Eddie Howe began deploying him in midfield rather than as a striker, and Woltemade ended the season in a 'number 10' role.
Simon Jordan's Verdict
Speaking on talkSPORT, Jordan said: "It's very difficult to be a No 9 at Newcastle. Joelinton was turned from a centre-forward into a midfield player and they got lucky. They're trying to do this with Woltemade. It's difficult for the kid because he isn't the player that they bought, for the position they bought him for."
Jordan added: "If you look at some of the football he played in the season that he was signed, he's got good feet, he's a clever footballer. Now he looks lost. He looks like a player that comes on and plays midfield, which is clearly not his position."
Bayern Munich Criticism
Woltemade's struggles have been compounded by comments from Bayern Munich officials, who reportedly called Newcastle 'idiots' for paying the huge transfer fee that ended the Bavarian club's own interest. Jordan dismissed those remarks, attributing them to frustration over Premier League spending power: "What he basically was railing against, which is the constant cry and whining of other leagues, is how much Premier League clubs are prepared to spend on players. Mind your business, what the hell are you prepared to spend on players?"
