You may have noticed a new rush of media claims on Nick Woltemade set to leave Newcastle United this summer.
With this type of thing, it is often difficult to track down where the original ‘exclusive’ came from.
The modern day media operate in a very transparent, if not honest, way. In that the vast majority of journalists and media have zero scruples when it comes to blindly repeating transfer claims from any source.
They don’t care if it has any truth or credibility, such is the desperation to get attention and clicks.
Which brings me to Nick Woltemade and leaving Newcastle United, supposedly. Where has this originated?
It looks like the Big Nick ‘exclusive’ has come from Spain.
I think there is a tendency for English football fans to believe that the media are not as bad in other countries but reality is that they are no better AND in many cases worse than we have in the UK.
A bloke who covers Atletico Madrid for AS in Spain appears to be the one behind this Nick Woltemade nonsense. Wanting to find a transfer story that he can link the Spanish club to, to get attention and clicks from his target readership.
Talk about stringing together a load of nonsense like this, just to get attention…
‘Nick Woltemade is on the market. The German striker arrived at Newcastle last season, a club that paid £85 million for him. It was a significant investment and Newcastle’s most expensive signing ever. However, Woltemade’s first season there hasn’t been successful, and there are rumours he could leave in this transfer window. Several teams are closely monitoring the situation, and Atlético Madrid is one of them.’
Yes, just make it up as you go along. The AS journalist stating that Newcastle United paid £85m for Nick Woltemade. The reality is that United paid £65m plus potentially another £4.3m in future add-ons.
‘At 24 years old, he has a contract with Newcastle until 2031, and his market value is €55 million. He is currently with Germany at the World Cup, and we’ll see what happens with his future. He could go out on loan, and Atlético Madrid is keeping a close eye on any developments regarding a player they followed and wanted before he broke out at Werder Bremen.’
As I say, making it up as he goes along. He plucks a figure of €55m (approx £47.7m) out of the air as the supposed ‘market value’ of Nick Woltemade but doesn’t even pretend that this comes from any credible source.
‘In the Premier League, it’s widely assumed he’ll leave Newcastle, who are reportedly asking for €65 million for the striker. However, a loan move is also a possibility, as he seeks the goals and consistency he’s lacked at his current club.’
Again, he plucks a figure of €65m (approx £56.3m) as to what Newcastle United are supposedly wanting to sell Big Nick for.
Though maybe the biggest laugh of all is that he claims Newcastle United would be willing to let Nick Woltemade go out on loan???
Nick Woltemade was in no way a disaster in his first Newcastle United season and the striker has said himself that he knows it is a steep learning curve making that transition to the Premier League. Especially with it becoming such a challenging season overall for United.
One thing for sure, Newcastle United will not be loaning out Big Nick. If big first team players do leave this summer, it will only be if serious money is paid that can be then used to bring in new signings.
‘Aston Villa could potentially meet Newcastle’s asking price, though they aren’t the only suitors. Dortmund and Atlético are keeping a close eye on Woltemade…He’ll be one of the names to watch in the summer transfer window.’
This just sums up this whole nonsense from the AS journalist, quite clearly just a make it up as you go along piece that has no substance.
However, this kind of thing reaches the UK media who will present it as fact and make out that it comes from a credible source and has substance.