Nick Woltemade deserves more time to come good at Newcastle United and wasting his unique talents would be a crying shame for the club.
There have been suggestions from Newcastle United fans on social media that Woltemade’s reputation is enhanced by the fact he doesn’t play regularly.
How would YOU rate Nick Woltemade’s cameo vs Arsenal out of 10?
Perhaps there’s a kernel of truth in that, as it is clearly not the case that Woltemade has fully convinced this season.
However, can anyone seriously say that he’s been given a fair chance? Ten of his 48 appearances this season have come in central midfield!
With that in mind, it is surely still too early to draw any definitive conclusions.
Woltemade has shown enough at Newcastle to deserve more time
According to The Daily Telegraph, the German international is one of the players that the club could consider cutting their losses on and selling this summer.
The great Woltemade debate does not have to be so divisive. He is, after all, neither the best player nor the worst player to ever play for Newcastle.
What Woltemade is, however, is the most expensive player to ever play for Newcastle and it’s hard to imagine the club recouping anything like the fee they paid for him last summer after one mixed season.
Where do YOU stand on the Nick Woltemade debate? 👀
It would make sense, then, to try and build up his value and potentially sell on if he really does not prove to be a good fit for a prolonged period of time.
No quick-fire judgements need to be made unless an external force appears. What Newcastle have is a player who has scored ten goals in his first season in a new league playing for a team who have largely been an absolute mess for as long as any of us can remember.
He’s a talent and perhaps it can be nurtured. Perhaps it can’t. Do any of us really know at this point? Probably not, but it’s worth seeing how far they journey takes us.
The plan for Woltemade that Newcastle should form
Newcastle do not absolutely have to make Woltemade the sole focus of their attack. With Yoane Wissa, William Osula or (hopefully) a new signing playing off him, perhaps things can click.
There were signs of that down at Arsenal on Saturday, when his chipped ball put a volley on a plate for Wissa, who ended up firing well over.
With no compelling offers seemingly imminent despite the fact Woltemade has been linked with a return to Germany, there doesn’t appear to be any great need to take a side in the debate just yet.
Woltemade is capable of some brilliant skills and that alone will not be enough for him to succeed. On the flip side, it shows he’s got something at least.
Let’s see what he can do when he’s not playing for a Newcastle team in crisis.
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