Nick Woltemade explains his decision to leave Stuttgart

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After Bayern Munich decided against a move for Nick Woltemade, it looked as though the 198cm tall forward would remain at Stuttgart. But with Aleksander Isak forcing a move to Liverpool, Newcastle United were forced to act. That resulted in the signing of Woltemade for a club record €90m; the German signing a five-year deal with the club.

Following his last minute decision to swap Stuttgart for Newcastle United, Woltemade addressed VfB fans via an Instagram video.

“I’m not asking anyone to understand my decision,” said Woltemade. “As a professional footballer, I want to achieve the highest possible results. I play in the Champions league, I play in the best league in the world and I’m also looking forward to the move.”

However, the 23-year-old can “understand every Stuttgart fan who says: ‘Hey, that was your favourite club. Hey, you always said that you’re a Stuttgart fan.’ Yes, I’ll still remain a Stuttgart fan and will watch every VfB game if I can.”

But Woltemade has a professional decision to make. “I’ve decided to take the next step, the one I wanted to take, the one I consciously chose and I’m really looking forward to it.

“Despite everything, I wanted to say thank you again and remind everyone of what a great year we had together, and what a great year it was for me too. I’m also very grateful to Stuttgart for allowing me to develop so much athletically. I won my first major title with you, and that will stay with me forever.”

Woltemade joined Stuttgart in 2024 on a free transfer following the expiry of his contract at Werder Bremen. During his single year at VfB, the German forward scored 18 goals and provided three assists in 36 appearances across all competitions.

GGFN | Daniel Pinder