Newcastle United loaned out Nick Woltemade to Juventus in the hope of his revival. But that isn’t quite happening yet in Italy.
Last season, there were times when Eddie Howe used the German in midfield. This summer, the Magpies signed Matias Fernandez-Pardo, convincing them into letting Woltemade depart on a dry loan.
Soon, it became evident that the Germany international may have to adapt to a new role in Turin. Luciano Spalletti made this very clear, revealing that Woltemade has some work to do to start regularly.
So far, things haven’t taken off and doubts are growing about the striker.
Tactical dilemma growing
Woltemade is yet to start in Serie A for Juve, having come off the bench four times. Against Cagliari at the weekend, he did the same but was used as a box-striker alongside Randal Kolo Muani.
Quotidiano Sportivo note that he has to do more. A big reason behind the failure is a tactical dilemma, as questions are growing over whether he is an out and out goalscorer or not.
Spalletti expects him to be better in that regard, as his skillset isn’t exactly helping Kolo Muani’s strengths either. The Frenchman found the net at the weekend but he isn’t a pure striker either – a bit like Woltemade.
This is making Spalletti consider the idea of signing a pure goalscorer in January.
Gazzetta dello Sport go down the same narrative. They make it clear that Kolo Muani needs help to score more but Woltemade isn’t adding much. That can prompt a reaction in January, with Spalletti looking at someone whose profile is similar to Harry Kane or Erling Haaland.
Nick Woltemade
First-team club career stats
| Club | Apps | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
| Werder Bremen 2020–2024 |
51 | 2 | 0 |
| SV Elversberg 2022–2023 · loan |
32 | 10 | 3 |
| VfB Stuttgart 2024–2025 |
36 | 18 | 3 |
| Newcastle United 2025–present |
53 | 11 | 5 |
| Juventus 2026–present · loan |
5 | 1 | 0 |
| First-team total* | 177 | 42 | 11 |
German Super Cup and European competitions.
Elversberg figures cover 3. Liga and DFB-Pokal;
regional cup matches are excluded.
Excludes Werder Bremen II, youth football, internationals and friendlies.
Assists follow Opta’s records and may differ from other providers.
Source: Opta Analyst. Checked: 14 October 2026.
Our take: A poorly planned signing
Increasingly, it is clear Juve had no clear plan for Woltemade. Even if they did, they badly profiled him and expected different things than what he can actually offer.
This should alarm Newcastle United, who themselves faced similar problems last season.
However, Woltemade hasn’t exactly been poor when coming off the bench. He made a mark against Cagliari and even against AC Milan. So there is a chance that with time, things could take a positive turn.
