‘Risky’ Nick Woltemade transfer has come back to haunt Stuttgart as coach slams club for £69m sale after replacement plan falls apart

Stuttgart coach Sebastian Hoeness has not minced words about the club’s “risky” decision to sell star striker Nick Woltemade late in the summer window without securing a replacement. The decision to sell the forward late in the summer transfer window has resulted in a drop in quality, the coach argued. With top scorer Ermedin Demirovic now sidelined by injury, Hoeness says the task has become “significantly more challenging”.

Stuttgart still coping with Nick Woltemade’s last-minute sale

Woltemade joined Necastle this summer in a deal worth £69 million (€79m/$91m) after Stuttgart rejected multiple bids from Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich. Now two months into the campaign, Stuttgart head coach Hoeness has not fully come to terms with losing star striker Woltemade. The 48-year-old, who had earlier criticised the club selling the striker late in the window, calling it a “bitter loss,” now claims they have not found his replacement yet. The Bundesliga club are missing Woltemade’s goal-scoring prowess and are finding it hard to convert chances this season, with most of their league wins coming by a one-goal margin, compounded by a 2-0 loss against Basel in the Europa League.