Stuttgart have held a ‘secret meeting’ with the representatives of Chelsea target Nick Woltemade to discuss a new contract, according to German media.
The Germany youth international has been making waves all year, but particularly his performances at the U21 European Championship, currently taking place in Slovakia, are really putting his name on the map.
Woltemade scored a hat-trick in the opener against the hosts and then also netted against Czechia before being rested against England, with Germany already qualified for the knockouts.
Chelsea want a different profile to Delap and have also held talks with Hugo Ekitike. Despite Woltemade’s towering 6ft 6in stature, he is much more of an Ekitike-type with silky smooth skills than a Delap-esque battering ram.
Stuttgart to hand Woltemade a new deal?
According to BILD, Stuttgart have now made their opening move in a bid to fend off the growing interest in the 22-year-old. The German outlet claims that a meeting took place earlier this week to discuss the player’s future with his representatives.
When pressed on the matter, director Fabian Wohlgemuth said: “Of course, we’re also following the reports. But at this point, everyone can rest assured: Nick’s immediate future is secured by a three-year contract with VfB Stuttgart.
“Any discussions with Nick’s management are not about clarifying his future, but rather about us wanting to contractually express our appreciation for his outstanding sporting development. I am very confident that we will bring the discussions to a successful conclusion.”
Chairman Alexander Wehrle similarly insisted: “We’re heading into the new season with Nick. Period! There’s no reason to act immediately. Furthermore, we are in constant dialogue with our players and their agents. This also applies to Nick.”
Despite these strong comments, Wehrle was forced to concede that every player has a price. “Basically, in the Bundesliga, with the exception of FC Bayern Munich, every club has to be willing to discuss the transfer of a key player for financial reasons if offered above a certain amount. Of course, that applies to us as well.”
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