Things aren’t going well. Not for Juventus Turin, but not for Nick Woltemade either. This became clear once again on Sunday evening in Cagliari. The criticism was fierce – even though it had all started with a friendly comparison to a horse.
Recently, rumours circulated that Juventus were considering terminating Nick Woltemade’s loan deal with Newcastle United early in January in order to look for alternatives. This option quickly proved to be out of the question, as the loan agreement runs without any ifs or buts until the end of the season.
Yet the outlook is clearly bleak when contract details are already being discussed in the media after just six weeks. The fog did not lift on Sunday evening in Sardinia either, where the German international earned a narrow ‘satisfactory’ rating during his half-hour appearance in the 1–1 draw at Cagliari.
Criticism from the mainstream media
In such cases, the trade jargon usually resorts to “tried hard”, a gentler alternative to ‘below expectations’. The sports papers were somewhat more forthright at the start of the week. “Does he still have time to find his place in this team? Well, perhaps,” mused the Gazzetta dello Sport, whilst the Corriere dello Sport remarked: “ In front of goal, Woltemade is nothing special.”
Even the otherwise generous Turin-based newspaper Tuttosport was unusually scathing: “Good luck, Mr Spalletti, in finding a role for this player, who currently seems out of place.” Only Randal Kolo Muani had a few warm words for the new signing: “It’s good when Nick comes on and creates more space up front. He does that brilliantly.” A very favourable assessment. Although the former Frankfurt player scored his first league goal in 231 days, he also missed a potential winning goal from a few metres out, gently heading the rebound straight into the goalkeeper’s arms.
Juventus currently have an obvious problem up front: six matches, just nine goals and two nominal strikers who are not really true number nines and have barely had any playing time at their respective Premier League clubs. Manager Luciano Spalletti had actually been pushing for the Dutchman Joshua Zirkzee, but due to the protracted negotiations with Manchester United, the transfer team ultimately switched their focus to Woltemade.
Woltemade is the source of Juve’s problems
Now the manager needs time to get the 24-year-old fit enough to play, but time and patience are in short supply at the Signora. After Woltemade has now played a total of 78 league minutes – with just one start plus a penalty goal in the Europa League against Nijmegen in mid-September – consternation prevails. On social media, his missed chance from close range whilst wearing the Germany shirt against Serbia went viral amongst the Juventini – accompanied by the sentiment that there is cause for concern if even a spell under Jürgen Klopp cannot turn him round.
The brave new world of social media is often ruthless and sensationalist; after all, the national striker finds himself in a complicated predicament that Juventus has brought upon itself through years of haphazard squad planning. Woltemade is merely the latest player to be sucked into this maelstrom. And yet the adventure had begun so charmingly. Instead of complaining, the striker danced and juggled in an AI video, accompanied by a DJ with rumbling bass and the pounding prophecy: “Woltemade, Il gigante di Brema, lo stadio trema” – the giant from Bremen who makes the stadium tremble.
Spalletti: “He resembles my Friesian horse”
“He’s like the Friesian horse I own,” remarked Spalletti in his welcome address. “Majestic, physically imposing, yet very gentle and happy to be stroked. Nick combines technique, physicality and a love of the game, and that’s rare among professionals of his stature. He also brings the dynamism of the Premier League to our team.” The unusual combination of stature and skilful feet reminds him of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and Gigi Buffon added in passing that Woltemade would be an asset to Juve.
The Frisian gallop is yet to come; in Turin, Woltemade has so far been wearing the same shirt colours and facing similar challenges as he did at Newcastle. Juve are in desperate need of a dynamic centre-forward, but have to make do with two “number nine-and-a-half” strikers. And Spalletti urgently needs to square the circle ahead of the upcoming fixtures on Thursday in the Europa League at Celta Vigo and on Sunday against Lazio Rome. Diving into the world of horse racing with Woltemade can safely wait until the festive season.
