After another debacle with Juventus: Lothar Matthäus sees only one way out for Nick Woltemade
After the 0-3 defeat to Lazio Rome, there is discussion in Italy about replacing Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti. Are the days of struggling German striker Nick Woltemade at Juventus and in Serie A also numbered?
Nick Woltemade's struggles at Juventus remind Germany's record appearance-holder Lothar Matthäus of another German striker. "His situation is similar to Niclas Füllkrug's. He went to England, it didn't work out. Then to Italy, and that didn't work out either – so what next? Does he go back to Germany?" Matthäus asked at an event held by his partner Interwetten.
After unsuccessful spells at West Ham United and AC Milan, Niclas Füllkrug has found his form again at Werder Bremen. The 33-year-old tops the Bundesliga scoring charts with six goals, and Matthäus is among the experts advising Germany coach Jürgen Klopp to recall Füllkrug to the national team, at least on the road to Euro 2028. He ranks Füllkrug second among German strikers, behind Arsenal's Kai Havertz and ahead of German-Italian Nicolo Tresoldi of Club Brugge.
Woltemade sits behind them after a thoroughly disappointing 2026 so far. He slipped down the pecking order at Newcastle United, endured a disappointing World Cup and is now nowhere near a regular starting place under Luciano Spalletti at loan club Juventus. He has made just five substitute appearances and scored no goals in Serie A. In the recent 3-0 defeat by Lazio, Woltemade struggled alongside his team-mates and missed another clear chance.
"Then Woltemade will have to lower his wage demands"
A return to the Bundesliga looks the logical way out, but Matthäus sees financial obstacles for the striker. "I don't know whether anyone would pay €60 million for him now," he said. In the summer of 2025, Newcastle United had even been willing to pay €75 million for him. Only at that figure had Woltemade's former club VfB Stuttgart relented, having previously rejected several offers from Bayern Munich.
Bayern have little need for attacking reinforcements at present, though other Bundesliga clubs could be in the market even in the winter. Woltemade's substantial Premier League wages, however, would make another loan difficult.
"The question is whether a German club can still afford him. If a Bundesliga club has a pressing need, they might make an enquiry. But one thing is clear: Woltemade would then have to lower his wage demands," Matthäus said, adding: "For Füllkrug, it was worth giving up money. He is smiling again in Bremen. It shows that money must not be the most important thing. He is happy again now. He never felt as much love and affection anywhere else as he did in Bremen."
