On Monday morning I was looking to see if any news on Newcastle United, the top headline was ‘Nick Woltemade told he’s free to leave Newcastle on loan’, this headline and story put up by popular German football site Bulinews.
The second top Newcastle United headline was ‘Nick Woltemade given permission to leave Newcastle United on loan’, this headline and story published by Bavarian Football Works, a site that is aimed at Bayern Munich fans.
I have now seen this same story repeated again and again across the media.
A depressing insight into how the modern media works…
Let me explain.
With any of these Newcastle United transfer stories, you have to trace them back to their source, if you can find one…
The Bavarian Football Works site was the one that appears to have ran this ‘exclusive’ first of all and they stated: ‘According to a report from David Ornstein of The Athletic, Germany national team attacker and former VfB Stuttgart star Nick Woltemade has been told he is allowed to leave the Magpies on loan for this season.’
Bulinews (and many others!!!) then blindly following that initial ‘exclusive up, Bulinews stating: ‘Nick Woltemade told he’s free to leave Newcastle on loan. The Athletic reports that Germany forward Nick Woltemade has been told he’s free to head out on loan for the 2026/27 season. Newcastle United are planning to send Nick Woltemade out on loan for the 2026/27 season, according to The Athletic. The Premier League club have already informed the German forward of their decision, with Newcastle seeking a loan fee and unwilling to include a purchase option.’
Seb Stafford-Bloor is German football correspondent for The Athletic and he has now stated on Monday (27 July 2026) morning: “Lots of falsely attributed stories about Nick Woltemade’s future are going around. He’s joining Newcastle’s pre-season today and preparing for the season ahead.”
Are you confused? David Ornstein, the go-to man for breaking Newcastle United transfer stories, an incredible success rate, what could possibly have gone wrong? His colleague Seb Stafford-Bloor then rubbishing the ‘quotes’ from The Athletic’s main man???
The truth is out there, if you look closely enough…
This is where the Nick Woltemade available on loan story has originated.
A tweet that went out and which has been pounced on by the media, blindly copied by so many ‘journalists’…
‘David Ornstein @DavidOrnsteein
EXCL: #WHUFC are current front runners for the signature of Nick Woltemade. #NUFC have informed the player he’s been loan listed with many clubs interested. Serie A and LaLiga clubs also interested #NUFC would want a loan fee along with a non-buy option’
On Twitter/X, David Ornstein @David_Ornstein has 4.3million followers.
David Ornstein @DavidOrnsteein has 199 followers on Twitter/X.
If any of the journalists had bothered to click into David Ornstein @DavidOrnsteein, that profile says “parody account, Not affiliated to David Ornstein, just a fans.”
🚨 EXCL: #WHUFC are current front runners for the signature of Nick Woltemade. #NUFC have informed the player he’s been loan listed with many clubs interested. Serie A and LaLiga clubs also interested #NUFC would want a loan fee along with a non-buy option https://t.co/9mFqUpjOno
— David Ornstein (@DavidOrnsteein) July 26, 2026
So what has happened is that a spoof parody social media site puts out a fake Nick Woltemade story for a laugh, a journalist and media site then doesn’t bother checking out the ‘source’ whatsoever and puts it out as a headline transfer story.
That initial headline transfer story then blindly repeated by countless others and this is where we are at. A perfect example of the rotten state of modern day media.