AC Milan already have their reinforcements in their sights and have begun to step up efforts to sign Niclas Fullkrug from West Ham. According to the Daily Mail, the Italian club are on the hunt for a striker and are amongst several interested parties for the player who arrived as a star at the Hammers.
According to the newspaper, the Rossoneri face widespread competition, including from Bundesliga sides, amongst them Wolfsburg. The Italians are going through a difficult spell up front – and are seeking reinforcements – worsened by Santiago Gimenez's absence, who is still trying to understand whether he will need surgery to treat an ankle injury.
Still according to the Mail, West Ham are willing to listen to offers for Fullkrug. However, they expect to recoup their £27m (€32m) investment in the 32-year-old player, with the aim of strengthening the attack in the January transfer window.
To have the German player in the squad, there is the possibility that Milan will offer a loan with option to buy, which may not meet the English side's demands, even with Fullkrug's agent having suggested that the striker is keen on leaving the club.
“Many would probably agree with that, considering Niclas a classic penalty box striker. Strong in aerial play, physically strong, knows how to protect the ball – basically, made for the Premier League. Looking back, we have to admit the transfer didn't work out,” agent Thorsten Wirth stated in an interview with the TOMorrow Business podcast.
Niclas Fullkrug's spell at West Ham
Niclas Fullkrug arrived at West Ham in the 2024-25 season, in a transfer that was received with great expectation from the Hammers. However, the enthusiasm did not convert into results.
The transfer to London happened after a productive season with Borussia Dortmund and an impressive participation at Euro 2024 with the Germany national team.
The success was not repeated at the London club. In his first year, the striker missed six of the nine-month campaign due to recurring injuries, mainly muscular, in areas such as calf and thigh.
The absences hampered the player's consistency both at West Ham and in the national team. The striker even lost several kilograms since his debut season and was available in the early days of Nuno Espirito Santo's management.
“Countless times, when you said ‘now he's coming, now he's going to show England it wasn't just a good European Championship and then nothing more will happen', another injury would come up, and that's a shame. He was going through a rough patch and also had a bit of bad luck,” agent Thorsten Wirth stated.
For the English side, Niclas Fullkrug has 29 matches, three goals and two assists. Numbers well below last season at Dortmund where, in 2023-24, he played 43 matches, scored 15 goals and provided nine assists.
This article was originally published on Trivela.
