Newcastle close to sealing deal for Stuttgart striker Nick Woltemade

Newcastle United are on the verge of completing a move for Stuttgart forward Nick Woltemade, a transfer that could have major implications for Liverpool’s continued pursuit of Alexander Isak, Sport360NG reports.

The 23-year-old Germany international is understood to be travelling to Tyneside after Newcastle agreed terms with the Bundesliga club. He is scheduled to undergo a medical before finalising the switch to St James’ Park.

While the fee has not yet been disclosed, sources suggest the deal will set a new club record. Newcastle’s current benchmark remains the £63m paid to sign Isak from Real Sociedad in 2022.

Isak has made clear his wish to join Liverpool, and Newcastle’s imminent capture of Woltemade could reopen the door for the Premier League champions to test the Magpies’ resolve with another bid. Liverpool had an offer worth £110m turned down earlier this month.

Newcastle had previously insisted that two conditions would need to be met before they considered selling Isak: securing two quality strikers and receiving an offer that forced a genuine decision. With Woltemade now on his way, one of those boxes appears to have been ticked.

The towering 6ft 6in striker has enjoyed a breakout year. After arriving at Stuttgart on a free transfer from Werder Bremen in 2024, he scored 17 goals in 33 matches, including the opener in the German Cup final, his first major honour. He followed that up with a standout Under-21 European Championship campaign, finishing as top scorer with six goals as Germany reached the final.

Despite his height, Woltemade is known for his technical ability and dribbling, earning the nickname “the two-metre Messi-Musiala” from Stuttgart captain Atakan Karazor earlier this year.

Newcastle had endured a frustrating summer in their search for a new striker, missing out on Hugo Ekitike, Benjamin Sesko and Joao Pedro, while bids for Jorgen Strand Larsen and Yoane Wissa were turned down. However, their quiet pursuit of Woltemade has finally yielded a breakthrough.

The move comes as a timely boost for head coach Eddie Howe, who has been forced to deploy winger Anthony Gordon as a makeshift striker during Isak’s absence from first-team training. Gordon, though, will now miss the next three matches after being sent off in the 3-2 defeat against Liverpool, starting with Saturday’s trip to Leeds United.