The requirement comes right at the beginning: Please do not ask for Stuttgart Nick Woltemade about the explosive Bayern topic. It should only be about the final of the U21 European Championship against England. Nevertheless, it is checked.
Nick Woltemade has expressed his possible switch to FC Bayern very evasively one day before the final of the U21 European Championship. Right at the beginning of the press conference with the 23-year-old attacker and junior national coach Antonio di Salvo, the responsible UEFA spokesman made it clear that only questions about the game against England (9:00 p.m.) were allowed.
Nevertheless, Woltemade was asked what the headlines would do with him shortly before the final. “I’m really looking forward to the final,” replied the striker. It was a unique opportunity. “That will be my last U21 game.”
When asked whether the reports that he had already agreed with Bayern, would do something with him and had an impact on his performance, the UEFA spokesman initially rejected the only permitted sporting questions with the reference. Ultimately, Woltemade said only about the topic: “There are always things that are around you, that affects not only me, but also other players.”
For this, Di Salvo became clearer, at least in his choice of words: “We have a game in front of our chest and we have 23 players. I take care of 23 players and the final, and everything that is around it doesn’t matter.”
VfB makes it clear: no alternative scenario
The day before, reports from the “Bild” and the broadcaster Sky arose that Woltemade with FC Bayern Munich already agreed on a change. He would therefore receive a contract from the German record champions by the end of June 2030 and negotiate Bayern with Stuttgart about a change.
However, the Swabians already made their position in a possible poker around the attacker. “We are planning firmly with Nick and want to benefit from his sporting qualities in the coming year. There is no alternative planning scenario,” said sports director Fabian Wohlgemuth of the “Bild”. The path of Woltemade at VfB was “far from over”. The contract is still valid until mid -2028.
Bayern Munich’s president Herbert Hainer had spoken to the reports on a possible transfer. “He plays a very, very good season. But whether he plays for Bavaria is in the stars,” said Hainer Thursday evening on the edge of the basketball final of his Munich team against Ratiopharm Ulm.
And: “I can’t tell you anything about that,” said Hainer, asked about the reports. “I can only say that Nick Woltemade developed well at VfB and we as Germany fans are happy that he plays in the U21 and scores so many goals.”
On the edge of the club World Cup, the Munich team fueled the swap rumors around Woltemade. “The Nick plays very well, is in a really good shape. He is a young German player who is very, very interesting,” said Bayern sports director Christoph Freund.
DPA/MEL
