Nick Woltemade Breaks Silence on ‘Idiots’ Newcastle Claim After Bayern Munich Lost £65m Transfer Race

There are football transfer sagas, and then there are the kind of summer dramas that take on a life of their own—complete with boardroom jabs, escalating bids, national-team chatter and the sort of quotes that live forever on social media.

The race for Nick Woltemade, Stuttgart’s breakout star, definitely belonged to that second category.

And at the centre of it all? A single word uttered by Bayern Munich’s Karl-Heinz Rummenigge that lit up Germany’s airwaves and kicked off a full-blown debate over football economics: “idiots.”

Now, months after the dust has settled and Newcastle have secured their £65 million striker, Woltemade has finally spoken—calmly, measuredly, and sounding every bit like someone who has already learned to navigate the sometimes ridiculous world of elite football.

Rummenigge Called Newcastle ‘Idiots’ – Nick Woltemade Breaks Silence

For anyone who somehow missed the headline, Bayern Munich spent the summer aggressively chasing Woltemade. They saw him as the long-term heir in a post-Harry Kane era—big, mobile, young, German, and rising fast. Stuttgart, however, stuck firmly to their valuation: €75m, no discounts, no sympathy, no shortcuts.

Bayern tried. Bid again. Tried a little harder. Came back with an offer close to €60m. Stuttgart barely blinked.

And just when it looked like the whole thing would freeze, Newcastle suddenly entered the room—fresh from selling Alexander Isak to Liverpool on deadline day, flush with cash and badly needing a goalscorer. Within hours they delivered a club-record bid worth £69m and wrapped up the deal.

That’s when Rummenigge dropped the now-famous line on Blickpunkt Sport:

“I can only congratulate Stuttgart for finding, so to speak, an idiot who would pay that much money, because we certainly wouldn’t have done that.”

It was part frustration, part economics lecture, part warning shot about football’s financial arms race. But one word overshadowed everything else. German papers loved it. English fans loved it even more. Social media had a field day.

And through all of this, Woltemade kept quiet—until now.

Woltemade Reacts: Calm, Measured, and Not Bothered

Nick Woltemade

Speaking to BILD, Woltemade finally shared his thoughts. And if anyone expected fire, they were disappointed. This wasn’t revenge, indignation, or a counter-attack. Instead, it was refreshingly level-headed.

“My team-mates commented on it, I didn’t. I think that was the right thing to do.”

He explained how the summer had already been noisy enough—his name linked repeatedly with Bayern, the fee dissected in every headline, the national team players teasing him about the saga.

Then he added something important—something that shows how little the “idiots” line actually fazed him:

“I read Mr. Rummenigge’s entire statement – it was somewhat unfortunate, but not so dramatic.”

That’s a remarkably mature take from a 23-year-old who has suddenly been thrust into Bundesliga-to-Premier-League stardom. And interestingly, he made a point of saying that Bayern players themselves congratulated him when he arrived for national-team duty.

That says a lot. Players know the game. They know value is subjective. They know careers hinge on timing and opportunity. And they clearly respected that Woltemade had earned a major move.

Former Newcastle Star Hits Back – A Little More Directly

While Woltemade took the diplomatic route, others didn’t bother with tact. Chris Waddle, the former Newcastle winger, weighed in with a straight-to-the-point assessment:

“I think it’s a little bit of sour grapes.”

According to Waddle, Bayern thought they could get Woltemade for a “reasonable” fee. Newcastle simply offered more—money, wages, long-term plan, the full package.

“They probably thought they had a deal done,” Waddle said. “But Newcastle came in… better contract, better wages, better everything.”

He also made a point that many analysts agreed with: Bayern saw Woltemade as a player who could eventually replace Harry Kane. But Newcastle needed someone now. A striker for today, not tomorrow.

And that difference—need vs. plan—can easily be worth £10m or £20m in modern football.

How’s It Going for Woltemade? Pretty Well, Actually

Luxembourg v Germany – FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier

If you spend £65m on a 23-year-old striker, the world watches closely. Premier League pressure is different. Every touch is scrutinised. Every chance weighed. Every miss magnified.

But so far, Woltemade has handled it beautifully.

14 matches, 7 goals
4 goals in his first 8 Premier League games

More importantly, he looks comfortable. Confident. Not overwhelmed by the pace or physicality. Newcastle’s style fits him: aggressive transitions, aerial duels, link-up play, and high-intensity pressing.

And internationally? He’s been just as sharp. His brace against Luxembourg kept Germany’s path to direct World Cup qualification alive. Coaches love his attitude. Team-mates love his work rate.

For a young player carrying a £65m price tag, that’s a very promising return.

A Transfer That Tells a Bigger Story

Underneath the headlines, this saga reveals a lot about modern football:

• Fees are exploding, and the old guard (like Rummenigge) aren’t thrilled.

• Premier League financial power still towers over the Bundesliga.

• Stuttgart showed backbone in refusing to be bullied by giants.

• Bayern are entering a new era, no longer guaranteed to win every transfer battle.

• Newcastle are behaving like a true big club, strategically and aggressively.

• And in the middle of it all, a young striker just tried to keep his head down and play football.

Nick Woltemade Breaks Silence – And Probably Ends the Story

With his interview, Woltemade has essentially closed the chapter. No feuds. No drama. No war of words. Just acknowledgment that things got loud, but he’s happy where he is.

He’s right to be.

He’s scoring in the Premier League.
He’s scoring for Germany.
He’s playing for a club that believes in him.
And he handled a messy situation with more grace than many expected.

As for the “idiots” comment? History will decide. If Woltemade becomes a star in England—and there’s every chance he will—Newcastle might look very smart indeed.

And Bayern? They may end up wishing they had stretched that extra €10m after all.