Why Newcastle signing £40m striker would be bad news for Woltemade

The 2026/27 campaign could be a period of adaptation for Newcastle United as Matthias Jaissle gets his feet under the table in the managerial role at St James’ Park.

The German has the tricky task of replacing Eddie Howe on Tyneside, after the 48-year-old announced he would be stepping down from the role ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

He’s also had to deal with countless high-profile players leaving the club, which has seen the core of the club’s most successful side in a generation ripped apart.

However, the new manager could prove to be a success in the role, but if he is to hit the heights many are backing him to, he may need to get the best out of one player already on the books.

Why Jaissle needs to resurrect Woltemade’s career at Newcastle

Replacing a player of Alexander Isak’s calibre was always going to be a tricky ask for any recruitment team, but his departure proved to be bigger than many anticipated.

Nick Woltemade was seen as the ideal man to replace the Swedish international, but his first season at St James’ park proved to be a massive struggle.

The German international only scored eight times within his 33 league appearances, subsequently yielding a poor return given the £69m spent on his signature last summer.

Such a figure was a club record for the Magpies, but Jaissle now needs to get the best out of his compatriot to prove they made the right call in spending big on his services.

Woltemade showcased at times last season that he’s a player who massively relies on confidence in front of goal – as seen by his run of five goals in seven games at the start of 2025/26.

Jaissle needs to put his arm around the talisman and offer him support and guidance, but it’s unclear how much patience the German will have for the expensive centre-forward.

Added reinforcements are still needed in such an area before the end of the window, which in turn could see the 24-year-old drop further down the pecking order this term.

Why Newcastle signing £40m star would be bad news for Woltemade

Throughout the summer window, Newcastle have been linked with a whole host of attacking talents, but only Bazoumana Toure has arrived to improve the front line.

Folarin Balogun has been the player most recently linked with a move to St James’ Park, but a deal for the AS Monaco centre-forward is not at an advanced stage.

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Steven Bisig

However, he’s not the only player currently in the hierarchy’s sights at present, with Chelsea star Liam Delap another being linked with a move to Tyneside before the end of the window.

It’s been reported by TEAMtalk that Newcastle have held talks with the player’s representatives over the possibility of securing a deal for the 23-year-old attacker.

Competition for his signature could be higher this summer though, as Nottingham Forest and Leeds United also remain firmly in the race to secure his signature.

Any deal would likely be an expensive one for Jaissle’s men in the next few weeks, as Xabi Alonso’s men continue to hold out for at least £40m to sanction a sale.

His 2025/26 season at Stamford Bridge was certainly one to forget, as he only netted one league goal, but a subsequent move to St James’ Park could offer Delap a fresh start.

Despite his struggles last term, his underlying stats showcase some qualities – even managing to outperform current Magpies star Woltemade in various areas.

The Chelsea star may have scored seven fewer league goals last campaign, but he did manage to register more shots on target per 90 – along with a better accuracy rate.

Both of the aforementioned figures showcase his talent in the final third, with Jaissle able to get the best out of the Englishman should he put his trust in him ahead of any deal.

Delap also managed to achieve a higher dribble success rate in England’s top-flight last season, whilst also coming out on top of more of the aerial duels he entered.

The aforementioned figures showcase that he’s a more well-rounded option within the final third, which could be music to the ears of Jaissle – who likes players who can run in behind or play as a hold-up man.

The Englishman’s higher tally of touches in the opposition box per 90 also demonstrates his ability to operate as a fox-in-the-box type striker and pop up with crucial poacher goals.

£40m could be seen as somewhat of a risk given the striker’s disappointing goalscoring return last term, but it could prove to be a shrewd deal if he can return to his former levels of performance.

As for Woltemade, any move for the Englishman could see the German fall further down the manager’s pecking order and put his future at the club into jeopardy.