Published: 02:00, 2 March 2026 | Updated: 02:00, 2 March 2026

Consider Harry Kane rewired as a deep-lying midfielder at Bayern Munich in the coming months. That is what Germany are witnessing with their World Cup No 9, Newcastle's Nick Woltemade.

On recent evidence, they are not about to be gifted the heir to Toni Kroos, either. The 24-year-old, as Alan Shearer said on Match of the Day, is 'really, really struggling'. He added that there is definitely a player in there, which is also true.

But to borrow from German motoring, Woltemade is more VW camper than BMW 3 Series. Like the campervan, there is plenty of headroom, aesthetic charm and a romantic allure, but you're not sure it belongs in the fast lane or is built for the inner-city chaos of the Premier League. He looks like a player better suited to a different road, most likely the Bundesliga.

During Saturday's 3-2 defeat by Everton, Woltemade started in midfield before being moved into attack. Like Shearer said, he struggled in both positions. There were just 14 touches, none of them in the...