Whilst West Ham’s attention is still on their domestic competition as this season of horrors finally completes on Sunday with the away trip to Ipswich Town, the focus will shortly switch to the international arena as there’s a whole series of UEFA Nations League Finals taking place in June.
Whilst England supporters will be switching off for the summer, for Germany, Portugal, Spain and France at least (the four teams taking part in the semi finals and final) serious football lies ahead.
Which is why Niclas Fullkrug’s call-up back into the Germany national squad is big news in Europe: At 32 and with his season blighted so much by injury, West Hams’ big German may have thought he’d lost his place for good. Another West Ham striker target, Mainz forward Jonathan Burkhardt, has been left out to make space for Fullkrug.
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Clearly a case of ‘back to the future’ then, for German coach Julian Nagelsmann who sees a value in Fullkrug that is clearly invisible to Hammers Manager Graham Potter who persists with leaving Fullkrug out of his starting sides.
Speaking of Fullkrug’s aerial prowess, Nagelsman said “Due to the absence of Tim Kleindienst, we need another ‘heading player’ in the squad. One that brings another element.”
Strange that the transfer-tipped Burkhardt doesn’t make the team at veteran Fullkrug’s expense.
With his agents reported to be starting talks in May directly with West Ham, Burkhardt at just 21 fits Potter’s profile to become part of West Ham’s future. The Bundesliga’s top scorer in 2024 is still unable to make it in the present national side with Fullkrug around.
I wonder how he’d feel about joining his main competitor at the same English Premier League side. And as for Hammers’ fans- many remain unconvinced that Bundesliga strikers can make it in the Premier League in any case: Recent history is littered with failed imports who’ve come with big reputations yet failed to deliver in the biggest league of all as Arsenal and Chelsea amongst others have both found to their cost.