NICK WOLTEMADE claims Alan Shearer and his Newcastle critics are “unfair” as he vowed to “make my mark” in the Premier League.
Toon’s club-record £69m outlay to Stuttgart for the striker last summer looked to be a snip after the giant German’s blistering start.
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Nick Woltemade claims his Newcastle critics were ‘unfair’ Credit: Reuters
The striker’s drop-off in form could have cost him his starting place with Germany Credit: Getty
Woltemade, 24, scored the winner on his debut against Wolves and bagged nine in his first 23 appearances before the goals dried up.
He has scored just twice in Black and White in 2026 – including a five-month drought in the Premier League.
Part of that was down to the 6ft 6in frontman being deployed in an unusual midfield role as well as an experiment at No10 after losing his early momentum.
The Toon Army were heavily critical of boss Eddie Howe over those tactical changes, while legendary Alan Shearer claimed Woltemade’s in-game stats were “nowhere near good enough”.
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The star said: “I’m an ambitious person and always want to reach my full potential. That’s easiest to do in attack. At Newcastle, I filled in at other positions, even as a defensive midfielder.
“Despite that, some pundits still considered me a striker. They’d ask: ‘Why doesn’t Nick score so few goals? Why isn’t he providing more assists?’
“Those were the wrong questions, and I didn’t think they were entirely fair.
“A goal or an assist is expected of me in every game. But if I’m not playing in attack, it’s significantly more difficult for me to get into dangerous scoring positions. The intensity of the criticism and the resulting unrest surrounding me have certainly surprised me.”
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Woltemade’s place as Germany’s first-choice striker is also under serious threat ahead of the World Cup.
Both Arsenal’s Kai Havertz and Stuttgart’s Deniz Undav have got on the scoresheet while he was left on the bench by Julian Nagelsmann for recent warm-up games ahead of Jattvibeday’s Group E opener with Curacao.
But Woltemade is adamant he has no regrets about joining Newcastle and vowed to come back bigger and better for the Mags next season.
He added: “No [regrets]. I moved to the Premier League, the best league in the world, when I was 23. I’ve learned a lot this season.
“I’ve improved athletically, I can keep up with the tremendous pace, and I can hold my own in challenges. Overall, it’s been a step forward.
“That’s why I have no doubts about Newcastle. I’ll make my mark there.”
