West Ham will not allow Niclas Füllkrug to leave in January until a replacement has been found, Claret & Hugh have learnt this morning.
Yesterday, it was revealed that the German striker would seek a move back to his homeland after admitting his £27 million transfer to England had been a complete failure.
Bizarrely, Sky Germany claimed Füllkrug wanted the move to boost his chances of making the German World Cup squad — an odd suggestion, given that the 32-year-old has been regularly selected for his national team since joining West Ham. In fact, two of his four injuries as a Hammer were sustained while on international duty.
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Niclas Fullkrug will not be allowed to leave West Ham on his terms
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In what seemed a rather entitled announcement, reports suggested Füllkrug would leave the London Stadium — with little consideration for whether West Ham might have a say in the matter. That notion has since been firmly corrected.
A football agent speaking to Claret & Hugh this morning confirmed:
“West Ham are looking at clubs for Füllkrug, but who is going to buy him? Anyway, unless they sign someone first, they won’t let him leave.”
Earlier today a club source revealed to C&H that Fullkrug would have to take a pay-cut to leave. It seems the club have zero desire to subsidise the forwards wages just so as he can pick and choose his next destination.
So there it is. Füllkrug might want out as soon as possible, but with West Ham already running on fumes in the striker department, he won’t be going anywhere until a new forward arrives.