Perhaps, of all West Ham United’s desperate transfer deals in recent seasons there is the one that stands out that may actually cause the powers-that-be to stop and reconsider before repeating the same mistake in future.
With the likely loss on the transfer fee alone heading towards £25 million, you’d have to hope that whoever handles transfers – whether it be Sullivan, Nuno his agent pal Mendes or some as yet appointed Director of Football to do Nuno’s bidding – will learn from past mistakes.
If nothing else, the Fullkrug affair should make any Director of Football worth their salt run a mile rather than in the future consider signing a thirty two year old with an injury history as long as your arm – and them offering him a golden, multi million contract for four long, costly years during which his salary alone will eat up £18 million.
“Never again”: Surely the Hammers will learn their lesson from the Fullkrug debacle
West Ham will likely have to take peanuts to get rid of Fullkrug who has become the transfer gift that keeps on taking: Just the €4 million was still too much for AC Milan to consider making his loan permanent.
You cannot blame them: A solitary goal in his 20 appearances was every bit as bad as his paltry three goals in two seasons as a Hammer. According to the4thofficial.net :
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“West Ham are preparing to sell their German centre-forward Niclas Füllkrug this summer for little more than a token fee, according to Sky Sports Germany”.
Time to bite the bullet, ship him off and take the hit. Another drop in the ocean compared to West Ham’s mountain of debt.
Tim Steidten and Fullkrug parade a West Ham shirt after his signing from Dortmund
Even at the time of signing, this Fullkrug deal seemed dreadful business. We weren’t wrong.
Surely, somebody somewhere will learn from this and make sure that it becomes a sackable offence to even consider signing anyone over 29 years old on a 3 year-plus contract.
‘Freebie’ signings for a season or two – perhaps- these may be required to inject some experience into a decimated, relegated squad. But a thirty two year old crock as a main striker?
Only on planet Steidten (Remember Sullivan and the board, of course, signed off on the deal) did that ever look a good idea.