Nick Woltemade has finally opened up about the surprising message he received from Bayern Munich after choosing to join Newcastle United, a move that stirred plenty of noise across European football.
His transfer to Tyneside became one of the biggest stories of the summer, not just because of the fee involved, but because of how Bayern reacted once it became clear they had lost out on a player they had spent months trying to secure.
Bayern had made Woltemade one of their top priorities after his brilliant performances for Germany’s Under-21s, where he finished as the Golden Boot winner as his team reached the European Championship final.
He was seen as one of the brightest young forwards in the country, and Bayern expected to wrap up the deal. They felt they had done everything right, but Stuttgart, his club at the time, refused to move an inch on their valuation. Bayern didn’t want to pay the asking price, and Newcastle suddenly sensed an opportunity.
With the transfer window closing and Newcastle missing out on other striker targets, the pressure was on. They knew they needed a forward, and they knew Woltemade was the best option left who could genuinely make an immediate impact.
Instead of negotiating or wasting more time, Newcastle simply matched Stuttgart’s valuation. Within days, Big Nick was wearing black and white.
The reaction in Munich was far from calm. A few of Bayern’s top executives spoke at length in the media, and their comments made it very clear they were not happy with how the transfer unfolded.
One of those who spoke out was Uli Hoeneß, never shy of a headline, who went as far as calling Newcastle “idiots” for paying the fee. It created a small storm, especially among Newcastle supporters who felt the comments were unnecessary and disrespectful.
However, despite everything said in public, Woltemade has now revealed that Hoeneß actually reached out to him privately after the deal was completed.
In an interview with Stern, Woltemade shared that Hoeneß sent him a WhatsApp message wishing him well for the new season. He said he genuinely appreciated the gesture and felt it showed a level of respect that meant a lot to him.
Woltemade also explained that the decision to join Newcastle didn’t take long. The moment the offer was real, he saw it as a step that aligned perfectly with his long-term goals.
He described Newcastle as a huge club playing in the strongest league in the world, a place where he could challenge himself against the very best.
He always wanted to be in an environment where competition was fierce, and he saw the Premier League as the ideal stage.
He admitted that all the noise around the transfer fee was “crazy,” but he avoided most of it. During the whole saga, he was actually on holiday first at Lake Como and then in Mallorca.
He said he turned his phone off because he wanted a proper break. He didn’t want to spend his holiday reading endless stories about himself, especially when some of them could be misleading or frustrating.
For him, switching off completely was the only way to stay calm while the world around him was debating his future.
Woltemade also addressed comments made by Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, another Bayern figure who publicly questioned Newcastle’s decision. Instead of fuelling the drama, Woltemade handled it with maturity, saying he didn’t believe Rummenigge meant to cause harm or disrespect.
For him, the only thing that mattered was that he had made the move he wanted and was now exactly where he felt he needed to be.
And it’s clear now that the transfer has worked out beautifully for him. Woltemade has settled into life on Tyneside quickly and has built a strong connection with both the fans and his teammates, especially fellow German international Malick Thiaw.
He’s performing well, embracing the atmosphere, and showing why Newcastle pushed so hard to get him.
Whatever was said in Munich no longer matters. Nick Woltemade is a Newcastle player, he’s thriving, and there’s every sign that this chapter of his career is only just getting started.
