Dear Niclas Füllkrug,
As news breaks that you're packing your bags for a loan move to AC Milan (with an option to make it permanent, because why wouldn't they want to lock in that magic?), it's time for West Ham United to bid you a fond – or perhaps not-so-fond – farewell. You arrived in the summer of 2024 from Borussia Dortmund for a hefty £27.5 million, carrying the weight of expectations as a proven Bundesliga goalscorer and a German international fresh off a strong Euro 2024. We dreamed of headers raining down on Premier League defenses, of you bullying center-backs and becoming the focal point our attack desperately needed.
Alas, it was not to be. In your time at the London Stadium, you managed the remarkable feat of doing... absolutely nothing of note. Three goals across 18 months – all headers, because that's basically your party trick – in a spell plagued by injuries, lack of adaptation, and an uncanny ability to vanish when the team needed you most. You haven't started a match since early October 2025, and your minutes this season? A paltry handful, with zero goals or assists to show for it.
You joined us with promise: a player who helped Dortmund reach the Champions League final, a late bloomer who terrorized defenses in Germany. But the Premier League chewed you up – or rather, you barely got on the pitch long enough for it to try. Injuries struck repeatedly, sidelining you for months at a time. When you did play, the spark was missing. No sustained runs, no partnerships formed, no memorable moments etched into Claret and Blue history.
Was it the physicality of English football? The pace? Or just bad luck? Your agent called the move a failure in hindsight, and honestly, Niclas, it's hard to argue. West Ham fans hoped for a hero; instead, we got a ghost – expensive, tall, and frustratingly absent. And somehow you made it seem your failure was all West Ham's fault.
Now, off you go to Serie A, where Milan hopes you'll rediscover your form and help their title push. Perhaps the slower tempo will suit you, or maybe you'll finally stay fit long enough to make an impact. We wish you well – genuinely. You're a good character by all accounts, and no one roots for endless injuries.
But for West Ham, this departure frees up wages and squad space for a striker who might, you know, actually contribute. No hard feelings, Big Niclas. Thanks for the three goals. We'll always remember... well, at least we tried.
Arrivederci, and good luck in Milan. The Hammers move on – hopefully to someone who does a bit more than nothing. Oh, and please do enough so you don't come back. Merry Christmas and you're welcome!