Bayern Munich’s honorary president Uli Hoeneß has poured cold water on the hype around Nick Woltemade’s massive transfer to Newcastle United. The 22-year-old forward made headlines after his €90 million move from Werder Bremen to the Premier League club, but Hoeneß says the number has nothing to do with the player’s value and everything to do with the flow of Saudi-backed money into English football.
Speaking on Sport1 Dopa, Hoeneß did not hold back. “Woltemade isn’t worth the €90m fee. That only happened because of the money flowing from Saudi Arabia,” he told the German show.
The veteran Bavarian voice has always spoken about how inflated the prices of players in today’s market are. This time, he has attacked what he believes to be the major cause of these inflated costs for football players as time his words touched directly on the ownership model that drives Newcastle United since the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia took control.
Who is Nick Woltemade?
Woltemade came through the ranks at Werder Bremen and impressed last season in the Bundesliga with his versatility, height, and technical ability. At 22, he is still seen as a player with potential rather than a finished product.
Newcastle’s decision to go as high as €90 million stunned many observers in Germany who saw him as promising but not yet proven at elite Champions League level. Hoeneß’s remarks reflect the wider skepticism inside German football about Premier League clubs overpaying because of bottomless backing.
Newcastle and Saudi Influence
Since Newcastle’s takeover by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund in 2021, the club has splashed on names like Alexander Isak, Sandro Tonali, and Bruno Guimarães. While some of those deals have paid off, critics argue that the injection of financial power distorts the European market and makes fair competition difficult.
Hoeneß echoed this concern, saying deals like Woltemade’s would not exist in a balanced environment. His words point at a long-standing frustration in Germany, where the 50+1 ownership model limits runaway investment but also prevents Bundesliga clubs from matching Premier League spending power.
A Familiar Voice of Criticism
This is far from the first time Hoeneß has taken aim at market inflation. The former Bayern president has been one of the loudest critics of what he calls “crazy money” in football, questioning Neymar’s €222m move to PSG years ago and constantly warning that the game risks losing connection to reality. His view is that clubs backed by sovereign wealth funds or state-related money create a financial landscape that no traditional club can compete with.
What It Means for German Football
Woltemade’s exit also raises questions for German fans. Losing young Bundesliga talents for enormous sums sounds good financially, but it highlights the gap between the Premier League and Germany. While Bremen cashes in, supporters fear that local stars will continue to be tempted away too early.
The Bundesliga, once a league known for developing stars before they shined on the global stage, risks becoming a feeder market where its best prospects leave as soon as England calls with cash.
Final Word
For Newcastle, Woltemade is now expected to justify one of the most expensive fees in their history. For Hoeneß, the message is simple: this is not about the player’s worth, it is about the distortion caused by Saudi investment.
Whether Woltemade proves him wrong on the pitch remains to be seen, but the debate about money in football is not slowing down anytime soon.
