Newcastle United’s transfer activities have come under scrutiny from Bayern Munich’s honorary president, Uli Hoeneß, following the club’s substantial acquisition of German striker Nick Woltemade. The Toon splashed out an eye-watering £73 million to secure the 23-year-old from Stuttgart, a deal potentially rising to £78 million (€90 million).
Woltemade, standing at an imposing 6ft 4in, has been brought in to fill the striking void left by Alexander Isak. Despite the pressure of the hefty price tag, the young striker will bolster Eddie Howe’s attacking options, especially with the recent £55 million recruitment of Yoane Wissa from Brentford.
In the closing stages of the transfer window, Newcastle’s urgency was palpable, with their record fee for Isak seemingly financing this new venture. Hoeneß was forthright in his assessment of the Premier League’s transfer dealings, labelling them “completely crazy” and remarking on Newcastle’s considerable financial backing from their Saudi owners.
“It’s like Monopoly,” quipped Hoeneß. “Move forward to Schlossallee, and some sheikh will come along, allowing you to buy.”
The Bayern chief reflected on his club’s transfer strategies, stating that despite aspirations, Bayern could not justify the inflated price tags of players like Florian Wirtz and Woltemade. “We would have loved to acquire Woltemade, but Stuttgart’s demands were too high,” he explained.
Hoeneß also commented on German legend Lothar Matthaus’s prediction regarding Woltemade’s move to Newcastle: “He [Matthaus] was just lucky… Woltemade isn’t worth the 90 million. That only happened because of the money flowing from Saudi Arabia.”
Expressing concerns over the broader implications of such financial clout in football, Hoeneß urged German clubs to resist foreign investments: “The Bundesliga must find its own path, free from the enticements of Arab wealth and American hedge funds.”
The comments come amid discussions about Newcastle’s tumultuous summer, with further attention on the high-profile Isak transfer saga and the club’s controversial ownership influences.