‘Absurdity’ – VfB Stuttgart fans react after Newcastle announce £65m Nick Woltemade signing

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Nick Woltemade is now officially a Newcastle player.

After seeing bids rejected for Jorgen Strand Larsen and Yoane Wissa of Wolves and Brentford respectively, Newcastle have now splashed a club-record £65m sum on the Germany international.

It surpasses the £63m spent to sign Alexander Isak – who does now look likely to join Liverpool – from Real Sociedad back in August 2022.

Woltemade only spent one season with VfB Stuttgart before sealing his move to Newcastle – scoring 12 goals in 28 Bundesliga appearances – and fans of the German club have now reacted to the deal.

VfB Stuttgart fans raise doubts over Nick Woltemade

There is no denying Woltemade boasts star potential, but some VfB Stuttgart fans seem to have some doubts.

Three of his 12 Bundesliga goals came in the final three games of the season, and there were periods where the 23-year-old would go on barren runs.

Woltemade failed to score in his first four Bundesliga appearances, and there were two separate stints throughout the 2024/25 campaign where he then went three games without a goal, then four without finding the target again.

One VfB Stuttgart fan wrote: “My take. Nick will miss us even more someday than we miss him.

“Still, I wish him nothing but the best on his journey, and above all, I wish him a new decent and serious advisor for his future. All the best, Woltemade, and thanks for the goals!”

This suggests VfB Stuttgart helped the Germany international perhaps more than he helped them, following his arrival on a free transfer from Werder Bremen in 2024.

Another VfB Stuttgart fan echoed that statement, suggesting Woltemade only really had a good half of the 2024/25 campaign and is still a rough diamond.

They posted: “Finally, the circus is over. I’ve already experienced a lot of absurdity with Stuttgart, but that we would sell a player who came on a free transfer, after a good half-season, for such an outrageously high sum, I didn’t have that on my radar.”

Evidently, this fan also sounds shocked by the £65m fee, which is a very bold statement from Newcastle.

A third VfB Stuttgart fan added: “Now it’s official. To really leave a mark, it was simply too short and too much drama, sorry. Even the cup (DFB-Pokal) victory doesn’t help, I think.”

The clear concern from these fans is that Woltemade has not exactly put together a lengthy, consistent run of goalscoring, which should be a worry for Newcastle supporters.

Other VfB Stuttgart supporters echoed these feelings and suggested they have got the better of the agreement with Newcastle – which certainly seems to be the case on paper for now unless Woltemade can immediately take the Premier League by storm.

Newcastle fans will have to be patient with Nick Woltemade

If any Newcastle fan expects Woltemade – who Didi Hamann thinks is worth under £52m – to immediately replace what Isak delivered for Eddie Howe, they should think again.

The man born in Bremen – who is two years younger than the Swede – has only ever played his football in Germany, and as aforesaid, is yet to really put together a blistering run of goalscoring form.

Isak – who joined Newcastle aged 22 – also lacked a prolific streak in fairness, but had already played in Sweden, Germany and Spain before moving to Tyneside, learning various tactical styles which surely helped him thrive in England.

Hopefully, Woltemade can hit the ground running for Newcastle, but fans need to be supportive if he does endure a slow start.