West Ham have now contacted a striker ahead of the January window with injury-prone flop Niclas Füllkrug in line for the exit door at the London Stadium, according to a new report.
Fullkrug’s time at West Ham was marred more by injuries than on-field impacts, as persistent fitness issues severely limited his ability to achieve the goals West Ham hoped for when they signed him.
Arriving with high expectations as a striker capable of adding much-needed firepower, especially after 16 goals in all competitions in his final season at Borussia Dortmund, Fullkrug’s tenure was marred by repeated setbacks.
The 32-year-old, who cost West Ham chairman David Sullivan and co around £27 million in the summer of 2024, missed a total of 28 games for club and country last season through injury.
|
Niclas Füllkrug missed matches for West Ham and Germany — 2024/2025 |
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|---|---|---|---|
|
Injury |
Lacking |
Missing until |
Missed games |
|
Achilles tendon |
09/08/2024 |
02/12/2024 |
16 |
|
Hamstring injury |
01/11/2025 |
01/04/2025 |
12 |
This has led critics like Gabriel Agbonlahor and many others to question West Ham’s strange decision to invest so much money in an over-30-year-old striker with a history of physical problems.
“I don’t think it’s about how much you spend, but what you spend it on,” Agbonlahor told talkSPORT.
“They signed Niclas Fullkrug for almost £30 million; he runs like he has no hips. He can’t get around the pitch. Honestly, what a bad signing. Yes, he did well at the Euros, but he’s not a good enough player for me. It was a strange signing.”
Fortunately for Nuno Espírito Santo, reliable club employee ExWHU has claimed that Fullkrug is expected to return after the next international break and that he is in fact ahead of schedule for his recovery.
However, injuries have happened far too frequently for West Ham’s liking, with Nuno recently having to pick up the pieces.
The Portuguese chose Lucas Paqueta as a false nine to cover for Fullkrug in West Ham’s Premier League defeats to Brentford and Leeds, but Callum Wilson earned the starting spot for their 3-1 win over Newcastle last weekend.
Insiders suggest Nuno doesn’t actually like Wilson at West Ham, but he has little choice in selecting him as the only natural striker, apart from inexperienced youngster Callum Marshall.
West Ham’s lack of striker options has led to credible reports that they are in the market for another centre-forward in January, as well as a defender and a midfielder (Sky Sports).
West Ham probe Ivan Toney and Niclas Füllkrug ‘determined’ to leave
Now, according to TEAMtalk, there has been an update on their pursuit of Al-Ahli striker Ivan Toney.
Journalist Alan Nixon previously reported that West Ham had been working on a deal for Toney before January, with the Hammers apparently still in the running.
The 29-year-old, who faces an uphill battle to break into Thomas Tuchel’s England squad ahead of next summer’s World Cup, has been largely left out of the Three Lions set-up since his move to Saudi Arabia.
Toney has only been called up once in that period, and with USA 2026 looming, he may well be tempted by the prospect of a return to Britain.
Al-Ahli want around £30million to part ways permanently this winter, but that’s an asking price no one is prepared to pay at the moment, so the most likely solution is a loan to buy.
Even then, the Irons would have to find a way around his exorbitant wages, with Toney earning north of £400,000 a week in the Gulf.
Nonetheless, TEAMtalk states that West Ham have asked Toney about a possible January move, but they are not alone, with Tottenham and Everton also circling them.
This all comes as Fullkrug is described as “determined” to leave the club mid-season, after what has been a nightmare year and a half so far.
According to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, the center forward has already informed West Ham of his decision, so the signing of a striker is definitely one to watch in January.
