During his DFB press conference on Thursday afternoon, German national team head coach Julian Nagelsmann addressed the struggles of Nick Woltemade at Newcastle. He also talked about the return of Premier League players, including Pascal Groß from Brighton and Anton Stach from Leeds, during the extensive media session.
Nagelsmann’s last question focused on Woltemade, who, along with Deniz Undav returning from Stuttgart, is expected to lead the attack in Germany’s upcoming test matches. Notably, players like Arsenal’s Kai Havertz, Bayern Munich’s Serge Gnabry, Brentford’s Kevin Schade, and Liverpool’s Florian Wirtz do not fit the traditional target forward mold.
Interestingly, both Undav and Woltemade also don’t fit the classic target forward definition. Despite his stature, Woltemade has often operated as a No. 10, a role both he and Undav have excelled in for club and country. Given that Undav’s success this season has predominantly come from playing in that position, it is likely that Woltemade will take the lead in the attack.
This season, Newcastle has frequently deployed Woltemade as a false nine or a tucked-in No. 10. This may explain his lack of goals—having not scored in 10 Premier League matches thus far in 2026, following a strong start. Nagelsmann expanded on previous remarks about Woltemade’s form in a recent Kicker interview.
Nagelsmann on Nick Woltemade’s Form at Newcastle
“He’s a delightful person with a great sense of humor,” Nagelsmann remarked. “He has a wonderful character and maintains a positive attitude during our calm discussions. He hasn’t had an easy experience at Newcastle. Nevertheless, he’s stepped up well for us, which will be beneficial for his development.
“Regarding his struggles at Newcastle, I think it’s important to consider the broader context,” Nagelsmann continued. “They don’t have a striker consistently in the lineup, as Eddie Howe frequently rotates his forwards. I’d be more concerned if Newcastle had a trio of strikers who always started.
“In my view, he often plays deep, and when he’s defending close to the back line, he has fewer scoring opportunities.” Nagelsmann added. “It’s unlikely he will score a lot since he’s not your typical counterattacking striker. He won’t be making 36 km/h sprints while being 80 meters from the goal.
“If I were a British journalist, I wouldn’t anticipate a 20-goal season for him,” Nagelsmann concluded. “However, I can assure you that with us, he won’t be 80 meters away from the goal. He’ll be more like 30 meters out, which is where he can be dangerous.