Ed refuses to bite on Woltemade 'idiots' jibe

EDDIE HOWE has insisted Nick Woltemade's transfer fee is irrelevant after Newcastle were labelled “idiots” for paying £69m for the striker.

- BY LEE RYDER in Brussels

Germany legend Karl-Heinz Rummenigge hit out at the Magpies for splashing so much on the giant forward, and was adamant his former club Bayern Munich would never have paid that amount.

Howe (inset) refused to get involved in a war of words with Bayern after Rummenigge followed Christoph Freund and Uli Hoeness, who waded in with a swipe that Woltemade was overpriced.

The German champions had pulled out of the race to sign Woltemade after refusing to match Newcastle's bid for the ex-Stuttgart star.

Howe said: “These types of things are irrelevant really.

"The market forces and dictates transfer fees - and it is not necessarily one club.

"We are very pleased to have Nick with us.