The 24-year-old German striker joined Newcastle United from VfB Stuttgart in August 2025 for a fee of around £69 million, beating Bayern Munich to his signature. The early signs were promising, but his role has diminished sharply in the second half of the season.
His last Premier League start came in March, William Osula has moved ahead of him in the pecking order, and he has been used out of position in midfield on several occasions — a deployment that drew criticism from the Germany national team coaching staff.
He has not scored in the Premier League since December. He was left out of the matchday squad for Newcastle's recent fixture against Brighton.
According to Bild, Woltemade is unhappy with his situation and a departure in the summer window is increasingly likely. Transfer journalist Florian Plettenberg confirmed the striker "has enquiries", while noting his priority had been to stay and fight for his place. Changes to his social media — removing references to Newcastle — have added fuel to speculation about his state of mind.
Atletico Madrid are the club following most closely. The Spanish side are tracking Woltemade as a potential replacement for Alexander Sorloth, whom they are open to selling for the right offer. According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, Atlético view Woltemade as a "serious candidate" to lead their attack, with the prospect of Champions League football and direct involvement in a title challenge a significant draw.
The transfer will not be straightforward. Newcastle paid heavily for Woltemade less than a year ago and are unlikely to accept a significant loss on that investment. His contract runs until 2031, giving the club significant leverage.
Bayern Munich, who pursued Woltemade strongly before Stuttgart sold him to Newcastle, have not revived their interest at this stage. The German champion's budget is being directed elsewhere, primarily towards a wide forward.
Woltemade has scored ten goals and contributed five assists in 44 appearances across all competitions this season — a return that falls short of the expectations that came with his price tag. The World Cup this summer, for which he may yet feature for Germany, could yet change the calculus around his value and his options.