All change at London Stadium. Graham Potter’s preferred style probably won’t be great news for Niclas Fullkrug. The German normally flourishes as one of a pair and doesn’t do well whilst isolated, pretty similar to Hammers’ other fit striker Danny Ings.
So, with news of a second club now ‘monitoring’ Fullkrug for a purchase in the January window, after previous reports of Juventus considering bidding for the Hammer on a loan deal, things could get interesting in the next few weeks. Suddenly there is the possibility of a shock deal to sell West Ham’s current first choice striker.
From Germany comes a report entitled:” Eintracht Frankfurt monitoring Niclas Füllkrug for a potential transfer”from ‘getfootballnewsgermany.com’.
The German media outlet created the story from Sky Germany’s ‘In the know’ Florian Plettenberg on X, reporting that the Frankfurt side are looking for an alternative as Manchester City are about to bid for their first choice striker Omar Marmoush:
The initial reaction is to rubbish the possibility of anyone at London Stadium sanctioning the sale of West Ham’s only fit striker.
But think a little more. Fullkrug already allegedly wants to leave having ‘not settled’. (Unless this was another Lopetegui smoke screen for a falling-out).
All will depend on the price of any offer and West Ham’s ability to recruit a player in January more suited to Potters’ lone striker preference – more in the Michail Antonio mould – like – Evan Ferguson. With Bowen likely to return in February, a loan signing would make perfect sense in the short term and actually boost the transfer kitty for a second striker addition if West Ham recoup most of the Fullkrug spend.
Never say never.
If a decent bid comes in, financially it would make massive sense to move the 31 year old on, West Ham overpaid hugely last summer. Finding a replacement in the next four weeks might be challenging to say the least.
