Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has called for patience with club-record signing Nick Woltemade as the young striker adapts to life in the Premier League.
Woltemade joined the Magpies from Stuttgart during pre-season for £69 million ($94 million) and made an impressive start, scoring six goals in his first 11 appearances.
However, the 23-year-old has struggled in recent weeks and has failed to score in his last 12 matches.
Speaking ahead of Saturday’s home clash against Brentford, Howe said the German forward is still learning the demands of English football.
“He is young, it’s a new league,” Howe said.
“He started so well and everybody expected that to continue, but that is very difficult to do.
“He is getting to grips with the challenges of the Premier League — the speed, the intensity and the physicality.”
Howe added that opponents are now more familiar with Woltemade’s style of play, making things tougher for him.
“Teams understand his game and what he wants to do, so he has to find solutions. You have to stay ahead of the other teams.
“But he has worked with a great attitude, and that’s the most important thing for me.”
Newcastle head into the Brentford fixture after their League Cup title defence ended in disappointment, with Manchester City sealing a 5-1 aggregate win in the semi-finals.
The defeat sparked speculation about Howe’s future at St James’ Park, with reports linking him to the England national team job after the World Cup.
Despite the setback, Newcastle remain competitive. They are just seven points off the top five and are still involved in the Champions League and FA Cup.
The Magpies will face Azerbaijani side Qarabag later this month in a two-legged tie for a place in the last 16 of the Champions League.
Responding to rumours about his future, Howe insisted his focus remains on the team.
“That’s a surprise to me,” he said.
“I give my best to the football club every day. My only thought is to inspire the team to win games.
“My individual future isn’t really relevant. I just try to do my best every day until told differently.”
