'Risky' Nick Woltemade transfer has come back to haunt Stuttgart as coach slams club for £69m sale after replacement plan falls apart

Woltemade joined Necastle this summer in a deal worth £69 million (€79m/$91m) after Stuttgart rejected multiple bids from Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich. Now two months into the campaign, Stuttgart head coach Hoeness has not fully come to terms with losing star striker Woltemade. The 48-year-old, who had earlier criticised the club selling the striker late in the window, calling it a "bitter loss," now claims they have not found his replacement yet. The Bundesliga club are missing Woltemade's goal-scoring prowess and are finding it hard to convert chances this season, with most of their league wins coming by a one-goal margin, compounded by a 2-0 loss against Basel in the Europa League.

Hoeness is clearly unimpressed by losing his team's ferocity in front of goal this season. The Stuttgart boss claims there was always a risk associated with the deal, and having failed to find his replacement, the campaign has become more challenging for him and his team.

"It's not about whether my fears were confirmed. We all knew that we were taking a risk by selling Nick and the Hyeon Gyu Oh transfer not coming to fruition," Hoeness said in an interview with Welt. 

He further explains the club's failed plan to rely on backup striker Ermedin Demirovic: "There was great hope that he would make it through the season, as has been the case in recent years. But injuries are unfortunately a part of competitive sport.

"[Demirovic] is the only true centre-forward in the squad. For us, this means that we as a coaching staff have to work with the players on solutions. We were already doing this before Medo's absence due to the large number of games, but now the task is obviously significantly more challenging."

Speaking about losing Woltemade, the coach says: "I've always said that I could understand the financial implications of selling Nick. But I'm not a bank director, I'm a coach. Of course, the sporting quality of the squad is paramount. It was clear that we would lose a lot of quality by selling Nick, especially since his striker profile is so exceptional. We all recognised the need to sign a replacement for Nick, but unfortunately, the transfer couldn't be realised at this late stage for the reasons already explained."

Despite a slight dip in form compared to last season, Stuttgart remains competitive, currently sitting fourth in the Bundesliga with three wins and two losses, having maintained a decent attacking output of eight goals in six league matches. However, the club is grappling with significant offensive challenges: the departure of key player Woltemade to Newcastle has left a noticeable gap in the attack after his 12-goal contribution last season, placing pressure on the remaining forwards. Adding to this trouble, top scorer Demirovic, who has scored three goals this season, is now sidelined for up to eight weeks with a fractured metatarsal. Without both Woltemade and their current leading striker, coach Hoeness must rely heavily on other attacking options and greater tactical flexibility to maintain Stuttgart's competitiveness during this critical transition and injury period.

Stuttgart face a tough test this season as they continue to adjust to the losses in the frontline. The German club's upcoming challenges include matches against Wolfsburg, Fenerbahce and Mainz. How head coach Hoeness manages these challenges tactically and keeps the team competitive will be vital, as consistency is paramount in this crucial phase of the season.