After spending the second half of last season on loan at AC Milan, it appeared Niclas Füllkrug would be set for a permanent departure from West Ham United. However, there appear to be snags in a potential move to Werder Bremen.
Kicker has revealed (translated from German), "there's a certain amount of skepticism in Bremen as to whether the English club would really let the 33-year-old, who was signed two years ago for a transfer fee of €27 million, go for a bargain price – and whether the enormous pay cut for Füllkrug would be acceptable. This is all quite apart from the sporting questions that are also being raised on the Weser River."
Füllkrug was a highly rated center-forward when he was in the Bundesliga with Bremen, Hannover, and Borussia Dortmund. He also has a good record for the German national team, where he has scored 12 goals in 24 games.
However, his move to West Ham in 2024 became a nightmare. Multiple injuries meant he played just 29 times for the Hammers, scoring just three goals. His loan to Milan was also poor; he found the back of the net just once in 20 Serie A matches.
Where does Niclas Füllkrug go from here?
West Ham needs to get him off their wage bill with the club's relegation to the Championship. He could score goals in English soccer's second tier, but his body may not be able to withstand the physicality of the division.
Understandably, Bremen has concerns over his ability now. He is not the same player who scored 49 goals for them in 124 appearances across two stints earlier in his career.
Despite his poor form in Serie A, Venezia is interested in the player. They have just been promoted from Serie B and will be looking to add experience to their roster.
Another recently promoted side has also been linked with Füllkrug, Schalke 04. They have returned to the Bundesliga after winning German soccer's second tier. Edin Džeko's contract with Schalke is up this summer, so Füllkrug could replace the 40-year-old Bosnian.
Dropping down to the Bundesliga 2 could also be an option for Füllkrug, as Wolfsburg is also interested in the player. The striker has underperformed in the Premier League and Serie A, so top-flight soccer could be behind him. Therefore, a move to the recently relegated Wolfsburg could be a good fit for him.
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