"25 percent game time"? Nagelsmann slams transfer wrangling over Woltemade | OneFootball

National coach Julian Nagelsmann has criticized the months-long poker game over Nick Woltemade between FC Bayern and VfB Stuttgart.

"I believe that such transfer drama doesn't leave a player unaffected. I always find it very unfortunate that everything is played out publicly from all sides," said Nagelsmann during the squad nomination in Frankfurt.

For him, there is no winner in this situation: "It's bad for the player, bad for the clubs. No one wants to lose face, and then it becomes super complicated."

The Munich team had tried several times in recent weeks to pry the 23-year-old away from Stuttgart, but met with consistent rejection. Numerous details of the talks had landed in the media – a circumstance that Nagelsmann expressly disapproved of.

Despite the unrest about his future, he perceived Woltemade in direct exchanges as "very calm." Nagelsmann explained: "I spoke with him twice and asked about his ideas and wishes. I also gave him some advice – not about where he should transfer, I don't do that, but that it's important to me that he plays."

Nagelsmann spoke with Woltemade

For the national coach, the striker's playing time is crucial – also with a view to the 2026 World Cup. "I told him that he can gladly transfer to Bayern Munich – but also that he must realize that with 25 percent playing time, the World Cup will be tight."

Nagelsmann also emphasized that staying in Stuttgart would not be negative: "If he goes to Bayern Munich and plays, that's also good for me." With a wink, he added: "If he goes there and doesn't play, he has to come back in winter."

With this, the national coach made it clear that for him, the club name is less important than the striker's playing time – whether in Stuttgart or Munich. Woltemade himself remains in Bayern's focus, even though a transfer this summer has not yet materialized.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.