The Nick Woltemade midfield gamble: Newcastle United’s next Joelinton or a risk too far? | OneFootball

Dropping Nick Woltemade into midfield is a tactical gamble Newcastle United fans have seen pay dividends before, as in the case of Joelinton.

Much like the Brazilian—who arrived as a misfiring striker before being reinvented as a midfield powerhouse—the 6ft 6in German is now being repurposed to maximise a physical profile that often felt wasted up front.

After a blistering start at St. James’ Park, Woltemade has since endured a frustrating 14-game goal drought, prompting Eddie Howe to deploy him in a deeper position.

The blueprint is clear: use his imposing frame to shield the ball and draw pressure, opening up space for direct threats like Anthony Gordon and Anthony Elanga.

In Newcastle’s 3-1 FA Cup victory over Aston Villa, Woltemade thrived in his new role, driving into pockets of space and linking midfield to attack in a manner not seen since Bruno Guimaraes’ injury. He also capped his fine performance with a goal.

However, while Woltemade brings the technical finesse that Joelinton sometimes lacked, his defensive contributions remain a concern.

Woltemade’s positional inexperience was exposed in the Magpies’ 2-1 Premier League defeat to Manchester City, where he won just three of 10 duels and failed to record a single tackle or interception.

Critics like Wayne Rooney have argued that the 24-year-old looks like a “fish out of water” when tasked with tracking runners during defensive transitions.

Despite the criticism, the numbers suggest Woltemade’s presence improves Newcastle’s ball progression.

As Newcastle enter the final stretch of the 2026 season, the Woltemade experiment remains a polarising project on Tyneside.

Its success or failure could prove a huge factor in the Magpies’ push for European qualification and how far they go in this season’s Champions League.