Newcastle have no intention of selling Nick Woltemaden in the summer, despite the German striker's difficult first season.
The 24-year-old initially struggled with the physical demands of English football after joining the club for a club-record fee. However, after some recent tactical changes, the Magpies are confident he will excel in his second season at St James' Park.
Patience with record buying
According to Telegraph Sport, Newcastle have decided to keep Woltemaden for at least another season, believing he will become much more effective now that he understands the demands of the Premier League better. After a world-record £64m move from Stuttgart last August, the striker struggled to secure minutes and goals over the winter.
His early fatigue was partly due to circumstances. An injury to Yoane Wissa forced the German to play every game, even though he often looked unprepared for the pace and physicality of English football. When he appeared to be overwhelmed, he was carefully dropped from the line-up, while a brief experiment with moving him to midfield failed to produce results.
A season with two faces
Despite a productive start at Newcastle, where he scored six goals in his first 11 appearances, his chances in front of goal quickly dwindled. Going into the final week of the season, Woltemade had registered just 13 shots on target in the league.
As a classic number nine, he lacked the speed and agility to lead the team's aggressive pressing. Despite his size, he was surprisingly weak in the air, not often attacking crosses and failing to keep up with the pace of the wingers.
In away games, he became a tactical problem. By constantly dropping down to retrieve the ball, he allowed opponents to push forward and crowd the central area of the pitch.
New role that is working
However, Eddie Howe and his staff have recently found more success using Woltemaden in a more withdrawn attacking role. The explosion of Will Osulas, who has managed to replicate the important role that Alexander Isak once played for the team, has brought many benefits to the German striker.
Operating in the spaces behind the main striker, Woltemade performed well in the away draw against Nottingham Forest and in the 3-1 win over West Ham last Sunday. Against the Hammers, he scored his first league goal since December, showing his footballing intelligence, technical ability and willingness to work hard even when recovering the ball.
Newcastle remain steadfast in the transfer market
Ahead of the transfer window, Newcastle's board are on the same page as the manager and see Woltemaden as a long-term investment. Even if he has a great World Cup with Germany this summer and attracts interest from other clubs, Newcastle do not believe any suitors would be willing to match the £64m they paid for him.
Moreover, Woltemade remains a much-loved figure in the dressing room and among the fans. With 11 goals in 35 starts in all competitions this season, Newcastle will be hoping that a full pre-season training period will help him unlock his true potential and justify the huge financial investment. /GazetaExpress/
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