Nick Woltemade's situation at Juventus reminds Germany's record international 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; that didn't work out either, and then? 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, Niklas Füllkrug has flourished again at Werder Bremen. The 33-year-old tops the Bundesliga scoring chart with six goals. Matthäus is among the experts urging Germany coach Jürgen Klopp to recall Füllkrug to the national team, at least on the road to Euro 2028. He currently ranks Füllkrug second among German strikers, behind Arsenal's Kai Havertz and ahead of German-Italian Nicolo Tresoldi of Club Brugge.
Woltemade sits lower in Matthäus's reckoning after a thoroughly disappointing 2026. He first fell out of favour at Newcastle United, then had a disappointing World Cup. Now he is nowhere near a regular starting place under coach Luciano Spalletti at his loan club Juventus, with just five substitute appearances and no goals in Serie A. In the recent 3-0 defeat to Lazio, Woltemade struggled along with the rest of the team 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. Newcastle United had considered him worth €75 million in the summer of 2025. Only at that figure did Woltemade's previous club, VfB Stuttgart, relent, having earlier rejected several offers from Bayern Munich.
Bayern currently have little need for attacking reinforcements, but other Bundesliga clubs could be in a different position as early as the winter. Woltemade's substantial Premier League wages would make even another loan difficult.
"The question is whether a German club can still afford him. If a Bundesliga club has a great need, they might make an enquiry. But one thing is clear: Woltemade will then have to lower his wage demands," Matthäus said, adding: "For Füllkrug, giving up money was worth it. He is smiling again in Bremen. It shows that money must not be the most important thing. He is happy again now. He has never felt as much love and affection anywhere else as he has in Bremen."