Newcastle have agreed a club-record £69m (€80m) deal for Stuttgart forward Nick Woltemade – increasing the likelihood of Alexander Isak leaving the club.
The Magpies have agreed to pay £64.86m (€75m) plus £4.3m (€5m) in add-ons, taking the total package just north of £69m and surpassing the £63m they paid for Isak three years ago.
Woltemade will travel to the North East on Thursday to undergo a medical on Friday.
The Germany international’s arrival increases the chances of Isak leaving Newcastle ahead of Monday’s Deadline Day. Liverpool have already had one bid rejected for the striker, who is adamant he will not play for his current club again and is yet to feature this season.
Newcastle are also still trying to Yoane Wissa, who has not played for Brentford in the current campaign amid the Magpies’ interest.
However, Eddie Howe’s side are unlikely to continue pursuing Jorgen Strand Larsen given his similarities to the 6’6″ Woltemade. Newcastle had two offers rejected for the Wolves striker.
Newcastle are set to sign Woltemade ahead of Bayern Munich, who had multiple offers rejected for the forward this summer. He had a desire to work with Howe and play in the Premier League.
Newcastle have been impressed by Woltemade’s technical ability and creativity, given his height.
Woltemade fits the profile of player Eddie Howe likes and he was scouted by Andy Howe, who has effectively been acting as sporting director this summer.
Newcastle had a long-standing interest in the player and had been watching him for some time.
‘Unconventional’ Woltemade more than a target man
Analysis from Sky Sports’ Adam Bate:
It was only a matter of days ago that Germany was abuzz with talk of Nick Woltemade making a move to Bayern Munich. On a recent visit to Stuttgart for the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup against the Bundesliga champions, it was Woltemade – not Harry Kane or Luiz Diaz – who was in the spotlight.
Speaking to a host of legendary Bundesliga figures about the 23-year-old forward on that trip, the phrase that kept coming up was ‘unconventional’. Woltemade is 6’6″ tall but is not a typical target man, preferring to roam into wide areas and drop deep.
He is even a dribbler, capable of beating opponents with his surprisingly nifty footwork. Cacau, the Brazilian-born Germany international whose goals fired Stuttgart to the title, was particularly fulsome in his praise for Woltemade and his importance to the team.
“He is an amazing player,” Cacau told Sky Sports. “He can score goals but he can also give assists. And he is a perfect player for Stuttgart, the perfect number nine. He plays very unconventionally because he is tall but he is also technical. Very, very good.”
It is apparent that Newcastle are looking for a physical number nine who is capable of leading the line. They have wingers who can provide service for such a player. But they want someone who can bring those wingers into play too. Woltemade fits the bill.
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