**Niclas Fullkrug’s West Ham future appears to be up in the air after his agent hinted that a January departure may be the best move for both parties.**
Niclas Fullkrug arrived at West Ham off the back of a brilliant 23/24 campaign. At club level, he scored 16 goals and registered 10 assists in all competitions, and was part of a Borussia Dortmund side which reached the Champions League final. At international level, shortly before his move to the Premier League, he had scored twice in five appearances for Germany at Euro 2024.
It’s fair to say he joined the Hammers with his stock high and a solid reputation behind him as a consistent goalscorer in German football. He signed for a reported £27 million fee, a massive outlay for a striker in their 30’s, particularly at a time when West Ham should’ve been targeting a younger more up and coming forward.
This figure has since been disputed by the Hammer’s ex technical director Tim Steidten, who maintains the actual fee was lower than what was reported by the media. That transfer window was a summer which perfectly encapsulates the Hammers reckless spending in recent years, parting with £40 million for Max Kilman, and an eventual £35 million for Jean Clair Todibo. West Ham also took a significant gamble with the signing of Luis Guilherme that summer for more than £20 million, a gamble which is yet to pay off.
Being frank, there is no sugar coating Fullkrug’s time at West Ham. It has been an injury riddled, disastrous 18 months. The German international has made 27 appearances in claret and blue, only 11 of which have been starts, and has scored three goals.
The 32 year old spent several months of his debut campaign in England out injured. Fullkrug has been unavailable in recent weeks due to an injury sustained whilst on international duty.
Put simply, the amount of time Fullkrug has spent out injured since his move to West Ham come’s down to an almost amateur lack of due diligence from those involved in West Ham’s transfer dealings at the time. A quick Google search into his injury history shows you the German forward has had a career blighted by injuries, suffering several long term set backs dating back a number of seasons.
Recently discussing his client’s future on a podcast, Fullkrug’s agent, Thorsten Wirth, admitted the move has not worked out, injuries have hampered the 32 year old’s time in the Premier League, and with the forward having one eye on next summer’s World Cup, a January exit may be a move that suits everyone concerned.
The club’s hierarchy will have to accept any sale of Fullkrug would come at a loss, but West Ham could not sanction the German’s sale without another striker lined up to replace him.
If the Hammers can sign another forward in the January transfer window, adding to Nuno’s current options of Callum Wilson and Callum Marshall, allowing Fullkrug to move on to pastures new would be a sensible decision for all involved.
Should the German international depart come January, he would become just one of an ever growing list of failed striker signings at the football club.