Bayern Munich sporting director Christoph Freund believes Nick Woltemade has not joined a ‘top-tier club’ in Newcastle United.
The Bundesliga champions had held talks to sign Woltemade this summer and reached an agreement with the 23-year-old during Germany’s Euro Under-21 Championship campaign in June.
However, Bayern fell considerably short of Stuttgart’s €100m (£85.4m) valuation of the striker and were only willing to offer around €50 million (£42.7m).
Newcastle have now reached an agreement with Stuttgart which will see the Premier League side pay €75 million (£65m) plus €5m (£4.3m) in performance-related add-ons.
Woltemade, who was signed on a free transfer last summer and scored 12 goals in the Bundesliga last season, has now completed his medical with Newcastle ahead of Monday’s transfer deadline.
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Speaking about the transfer on Friday, Freund suggested Woltemade’s move to Newcastle demonstrates the Premier League’s significant spending power.
‘You have discussions, you have a certain relationship,’ Freund said.
‘Ultimately, it’s the player’s decision as to what’s the best step for his career. We’re not involved in that.
‘When you see how many top players have moved from the German Bundesliga to the Premier League in the last twelve months, including during this transfer window.
‘The sums of money are flowing, how much money is at stake, that they have brutal opportunities in the Premier League. Not just two or three clubs, many clubs.
‘Newcastle are a good club, but not the top tier. That’s quite extreme.
‘There are many good players, we have to find the right ones for us, we have to put together the right team.
‘The English clubs have had the most money for a long time, yet there are always other clubs that can compete. Because they make clever transfers, because they put together a good coaching team, because they play a style of football that fits together. It’s a team sport, after all, everything has to come together.’
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