'New hero' Nick Woltemade helping Newcastle forget about Isak

Nick Woltemade celebrates after scoring against Tottenham in the Carabao Cup
Nick Woltemade celebrates after scoring against Tottenham in the Carabao CupJAN KRUGER / GETTY IMAGES EUROPE / Getty Images via AFP

Shearer. Keegan. Isak. Woltemade? After his goal in the League Cup win over Tottenham, Nick Woltemade has drawn comparisons with Newcastle's former illustrious stars.

"I operate differently on the pitch than former Newcastle strikers. I rarely play deep and prefer to have the ball at my feet," explained the 23-year-old to Sky Sports, who has enjoyed a terrific start to life at the Magpies.

Woltemade admits it was relatively easy adapting to the flow of English football, having joined the club from Bundesliga side Stuttgart in the summer to replace Alexander Isak.

"It was very easy for me to arrive in Newcastle. Everyone spoke to me a lot from day one," Woltemade said.

"(It) made it easier for (me) to come to a foreign country with a foreign language. There are also German-speaking players like Fabian Schär and Malick Thiaw at the club, with whom I get on well."

Hype and praise from Tonali

With six goals in eleven games, hype around Newcastle's £69m summer signing has steadily grown.

After their 2-0 Carabao Cup win over Spurs, the Telegraph ran the headline: 'Newcastle already have a new hero'.

Woltemade's tireless work ethic is particularly well received by both the fans and players.

"For 90 minutes, he's the first player to defend and the first to attack. It's great to play with a striker like Nick," team-mate Sandro Tonali said.

Newcastle face struggling West Ham next before facing Athletic Bilbao in the Champions League. Few would bet against Woltemade increasing his goal tally in the days ahead.

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