An angry wake-up call aimed at Graham Potter looks like being the last act of Niclas Fullkrug at West Ham as a move that was meant to happen in January is reignited.
It has been an utterly bizarre yet inescapably predictable debut season at West Ham for Niclas Fullkrug.
Now it looks like being his only season.
Fullkrug is the latest striker arrival to befall the fabled “West Ham curse”.
The soon-to-be 33-year-old German striker made just 20 appearances for West Ham in his debut season after arriving in a £26m deal from Borussia Dortmund.
Fullkrug the latest to be hit by the West Ham curse
Eyebrows were raised among Hammers fans when the club’s former technical director Tim Steidten opted to sign the ageing, injury-prone striker and untested teen Luis Guilherme instead of going all in for Jhon Duran.
Hammers fans know their football.
And inevitably Fullkrug spent six of the nine months of the season out injured.
The big German managed just three goals and has become better known for his outbursts about the team than his goalscoring prowess.
Fullkrug swore when summing up his move to West Ham while he was out injured with a second serious injury.
Photo by Rob Newell - CameraSport via Getty Images
Photo by Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images
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When he eventually returned to the team, Fullkrug then slammed his West Ham teammates and Graham Potter, labelling their performances “s—” and saying half the team does not listen to the manager.
Hammers fans hailed Fullkrug a hero for his refreshing and brutal honesty during a dismal campaign of underachievement.
But Potter was not on the same page.
The Englishman took a dim view of Fullkrug’s comments, publicly criticising and the dropping him, prompting an angry reaction from fans, who aimed chants at the manager.
The Germany international was not done there, though.
Fullkrug doubled down by firing a warning to Potter that he can’t hide from the truth at West Ham.
Potter blast looks like Fullkrug’s last act as move reignites
Fullkrug then posted a new brutally honest West Ham assessment on social media as the season came to an end.
The writing has been on the wall for what now looks set to be a fleeting romance between the Hammers fans and Fullkrug.
That Potter blast looks like being Fullkrug’s last act at West Ham as a move suddenly reignites.
Fullkrug started life at West Ham insisting he had not moved to the club to sit on the bench one game in to the season.
He ended it with Potter publicly stating he sees Fullkrug as an impact sub at best for West Ham.
This week Fullkrug dropped his biggest hint yet he’ll be leaving the Hammers this summer as he admitted he doesn’t like living in London.
Photo by Rob Newell - CameraSport via Getty Images
Photo by Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images
Juventus and German clubs wanted Fullkrug in the winter and talks were reportedly held with the player’s agents.
But Fullkrug suffered his second big injury less than 45 minutes into Potter’s first game in charge – ruling him out for three months.
Now a move to Juventus is back on the cards.
And with West Ham desperate to raise funds to start making signings, it could be concluded swiftly.
That’s according to respected Italian publication La Gazzetta dello Sport.
The famous pink paper claims Fullkrug has emerged as a “low-cost” option for Juventus after the initial talks in January.
It is claimed the Italian giants could loan Fullkrug at first with an obligation to buy.
Juventus come calling again for West Ham star Fullkrug
But West Ham’s financial situation means they will be bargaining hard for a straight sale.
Potter is looking to completely change the way West Ham play around young, dynamic players.
He is searching for two new strikers of a much younger profile, as evidenced by interest in Emanuel Emegha, Evann Guessand and Lucas Stassin to name but a few.
Fullkrug had all the ingredients to be a Hammers cult hero.
But it seems he is going to be another player who arrived at the club at the wrong stage of his career and the wrong time in West Ham’s history.
A cash deal will enable the Hammers to start doing business.
And given the clear butting of heads between the player and the manager, perhaps it is best for all concerned if Fullkrug moves on to Juventus – where he will no doubt be a big hit.