Former Germany and Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann has defended Newcastle United striker Nick Woltemade, insisting his recent dip in form is 'quite normal' for a young player adapting to English football. The 24-year-old joined the Magpies from Stuttgart last summer for £69 million and started impressively, scoring on his debut and netting four goals in his first five Premier League appearances.
However, Woltemade has not scored in the league since the turn of the year and has been deployed in deeper roles by manager Eddie Howe. Despite the slump, Lehmann believes the German international will come good, citing the typical adjustment period for overseas players in the Premier League.
“It normally takes three, four or five months. So he did really well at the beginning. He probably has to recover from that a little bit because he's still a young guy,” Lehmann told talkSPORT. “In terms of Germany, I hope that he's getting better, obviously [ahead of the World Cup]. But for a young player, I think it's quite normal that you cannot have this level of presence and good performances throughout your first Premier League season.”
Lehmann also dismissed speculation that Newcastle might sell Woltemade, with Bayern Munich reportedly interested. “Yes, he's a very good player. Considering his size, technically he's gifted. And he's got a fantastic presence in the box. And he will come [good],” he added, noting that strikers rely on service from teammates.
