- Stuttgart CEO confirms the Woltemade transfer saga is "closed"
- Move collapsed due to a reported €20m gap in valuations
- Striker still expected to complete a move to Bayern in future
Stuttgart have officially ended speculation surrounding Woltemade’s future, reiterating that the striker will not be sold to Bayern Munich in the current transfer window. The club’s CEO, Alexander Wehrle, has publicly stated that the matter is now closed, with the 23-year-old set to remain a key part of Stuttgart’s plans for the season.
Speaking on the German television show Bild Sport on Welt Stuttgart CEO Wehrle was unequivocal about the club’s stance.
“The file is closed and it will stay closed. Nothing can happen now,” Wehrle stated when asked about a last-minute move. “It’s not about winning or losing. For us, it’s about our sporting goals. We want to have a successful season – with Nick Woltemade. We’ve said that several times now, and I don’t know if people don’t believe us when we say it, because people keep asking about it.”
Bayern reached an agreement with the German international earlier in the summer, but Stuttgart vetoed the sale due to a significant disagreement over the transfer fee. Reports suggest that Stuttgart held firm on their €75 million (£64m/$81m) valuation, while Bayern were only prepared to offer a fee in the region of €55m (£47m/$59m).
Despite joining on a free transfer from Werder Bremen only in 2024, Woltemade has quickly become one of Stuttgart’s most valuable assets. He scored 12 goals in 28 Bundesliga games last season and went on to play a key role as Germany reached the final of the Under 21 European Championship. His current contract with the club runs until the summer of 2028.
Woltemade will now focus on the Bundesliga season with Stuttgart under manager Sebastian Hoeness, after starting the campaign with a narrow 2-1 defeat to Union Berlin where he had a late equaliser ruled out for offside. While the transfer is off for now, reports in Germany suggest an exit next summer remains likely. According to Bild there is a widespread expectation within Stuttgart that the striker will eventually join Bayern by 2026 at the latest. As a potential “peace offering”, it has also been reported that Stuttgart could offer Woltemade a new contract with an improved salary that includes a future exit clause.
Additional reporting by Christian Guinin.
