The recent discussion surrounding Newcastle United’s summer signings has taken an unexpected turn, with two players who cost the club around £120 million being labelled among the “worst” transfers of the season.
Even more surprising is the inclusion of Alexander Isak, who no longer plays for the club but still finds himself ranked poorly because of a statistical formula that has nothing to do with actual performances.
The most puzzling name on the list, however, is Nick Woltemade, a player who has made an encouraging start to life at St James’ Park and has quickly become one of the most exciting young forwards in the Premier League.
Woltemade arrived at Newcastle from VfB Stuttgart in the summer, and the early signs have been extremely positive. The 23-year-old has already hit double figures for club and country this season, with six goals in 12 starts for Newcastle and four goals in his last three matches for Germany.
He has adapted quickly to the pace and demands of English football, showing confidence, mobility, and an impressive work rate. For a player who stepped into one of the most competitive leagues in the world at such a young age, his progress has been admirable.
However, a short goal drought has attracted unnecessary attention. Woltemade failed to score in Newcastle’s last three Premier League games, which is hardly unusual for any forward settling into a new team and style.
As Newcastle prepare to face Manchester City at St James’ Park, the young striker will be eager to find the net again, but he has already shown more than enough promise to justify the club’s belief in him.
Despite all this, criticism came from Germany, particularly from media outlets and individuals associated with Bayern Munich. Much of it stems from the large fee Newcastle paid for a player who had joined Stuttgart on a free transfer just the previous year.
Newcastle paid £65 million, potentially rising to £69 million, to secure his signature after Bayern failed in their own attempt to sign him. The size of the fee has made him a talking point, but in today’s inflated market, a highly rated, scoring, 23-year-old striker with international pedigree will naturally command a premium. Newcastle did not simply buy potential they bought proven output.
ESPN, however, placed him third on their list of the “worst” summer signings. But their ranking is not subjective. It is based purely on a mathematical formula that multiplies the transfer fee by the percentage of minutes a player has not played this season. Under that formula, the less a player features, the worse the signing appears on paper.
This system naturally places Yoane Wissa and Alexander Isak at the top of the list. Wissa moved from Brentford to Newcastle for £55 million but is yet to play a single minute after suffering a knee injury with DR Congo shortly after signing.
Isak’s situation is different. He became the Premier League’s most expensive signing when Liverpool paid around £130 million for him on deadline day, but he has missed matches through injury and therefore ranks poorly because he has not played enough minutes to match his fee.
Woltemade’s inclusion, however, makes far less sense. He has featured regularly, contributed goals, and shown consistent progress. The only reason he appears in the rankings is because he has not played every possible minute. In terms of performance, ESPN clarified that he and Isak do not appear in their overall “worst signings” list, but Wissa does, simply because he is 29 and has not yet contributed due to injury.
ESPN argued that younger players have time to justify their fees, while Wissa, at 29, does not. They described his transfer as the least successful so far, only because he has not played. It is an unfair label for a player who has been injured, but it reflects how brutally simple the metric is.
For Newcastle fans, the reaction to these rankings has been a mix of amusement and disbelief. Woltemade has shown more than enough quality to suggest he can become a major figure for the club.
His movement, energy, and finishing ability have already given Eddie Howe an exciting attacking option, and his contribution for Germany shows he is developing at international level too.
Wissa’s situation, meanwhile, is likely to change once he returns from injury. The club believes he can play a big role once fit, and he has recently returned to training on the grass. With a busy festive period ahead, his comeback will be welcomed.
The rankings may draw attention, but they say far more about a flawed formula than they do about Newcastle’s actual business. What matters most is performances, and on that front, Woltemade has already proven he is anything but a bad signing.
