Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has urged patience with record signing Nick Woltemade, insisting the £69million arrival from Stuttgart will need time to adapt to the Premier League. The warning comes after the German striker endured a difficult international outing, with his side losing 2-0 to Slovakia in a World Cup qualifier, where pundits described his display as 'almost invisible'.
Germany's leading publication Bild ran a headline declaring 'Historic Germany embarrassment' following the defeat. Woltemade's place in the squad for Tuesday's crucial Group A clash against Northern Ireland remains uncertain.
Howe is eager to have Woltemade back on Tyneside ahead of the Magpies' next Premier League fixture against Wolverhampton Wanderers at St James' Park. The head coach stressed that immediate impact should not be expected, citing the lack of a pre-season with the club. 'There will be a period of adjustment so we all have to be very understanding of that,' he said.
Howe also anticipates giving debuts to Woltemade and fellow deadline-day signing Yoane Wissa, a £50million acquisition from Brentford, as Newcastle seek their first league win of the campaign. The club entered the international break just above the relegation zone.
The manager addressed the recent Alexander Isak transfer saga, which concluded with the Swedish striker's £130million move to Liverpool after 55 days of speculation. Howe praised his squad's resilience, stating: 'They have taken ownership of their own performances, they have viewed it absolutely brilliantly.' He added that the experience must make the team stronger rather than succumbing to it.
