Shearer has thrown his support behind under-fire club record signing Nick Woltemade
(Image: 2026 Getty Images)
Alan Shearer believes it is ‘really early’ for Newcastle United to be thinking about selling club record signing Nick Woltemade.
The German international’s future on Tyneside has been thrown into doubt amid links to Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund earlier this week.
The 24-year-old joined Newcastle for a club record £69million transfer fee from Stuttgart and has scored 10 goals in all competitions in his first season at St James’ Park.
But only one of those goals has come this calendar year and in the last two months, Eddie Howe has moved Woltemade from a forward role into midfield.
Get Chronicle Premium now for just £1 HERE – exclusive news and features, our NUFC and Academy notebooks, plus an ad-lite experience
It has led to a belief in some quarters that Woltemade no longer fits the style of Newcastle under Eddie Howe, certainly as a forward. But Shearer feels the former Werder Bremen forward has been a ‘victim’ of their unrelenting season and has backed him to come good again.
“I think it’s really early for Newcastle to sell Nick Woltemade,” Shearer told Betfair.
“There’s no doubt there’s talent in there. We saw that when he first arrived but for whatever reason, and I guess there are multiple reasons. It’s not just playing him in midfield because at times he did look laboured and slow.
“At times the pace, power and energy of the Premier League looked a little bit too much for him. But there’s no doubt there’s talent and ability in there.
“I guess it’s just about trying to get that out of him in whatever position because at the minute he hasn’t suited Newcastle and Newcastle hasn’t suited him particularly.
“He did have a good start but we haven’t seen a lot of that, and he will say because he’s been played out of position that he hasn’t been at his best and I totally understand that and get that.
“I guess he’s been a victim of what’s happened at Newcastle this season, unfortunately for him.”
Newcastle United forward Nick Woltemade(Image: News Images/NurPhoto)
When asked about Woltemade’s situation in Friday’s press conference, Howe said: “I think he can perform across multiple positions. I don’t sort of lay him down as one player. I think he is a very, very good technical player. Technically, he’s outstanding.
“I think he did really well at the start of the season. As you said, you make a good point, he converted a lot of the chances that came his way. He’s at a really high level in terms of his finishing, his efficiency. And that was from minimal chance creation.
“But then he went through a spell when he didn’t score and it became difficult, or more difficult so chance creation has always been a slight issue for him and for us. To try and get in goal scoring positions when he plays as a nine.
“When he plays a bit deeper there’s less pressure on him in that respect because there’s a player ahead of him. When the main responsibility doesn’t fall on him to score he becomes more of a creator, which he’s very good at as well.
“I’m not bogged down on any one position for him. It’s not the be all and end all. He’s a very good player We’ll use him in different positions. Between now and the end of the season he may well play in different positions and in different systems.
“We are quite flexible. It’s up to him to perform as well as possible and for the team to help him as much as possible.”
Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.
Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.