AC Milan are in talks with West Ham United over a loan move for striker Niclas Fullkrug
Milan’s need for a No 9 has been exacerbated by Santiago Gimenez needing surgery for an ankle injury, which has kept him sidelined since the 1-1 draw with Atalanta on October 28.
Fullkrug, 32, has struggled for minutes and fitness since joining West Ham from Borussia Dortmund on a four-year deal in August 2024. He has made nine appearances in all competitions this season, four of which have followed the appointment of Nuno Espirito Santo in September, and has yet to register a goal contribution.
The Germany international made 20 appearances, eight of which were starts, for West Ham last season, having been sidelined for extensive periods with Achilles and hamstring injuries.
Fullkrug’s agent, Thorsten Wirth, said on the TOMorrow Business Podcast in November that it would “make sense” for the forward to leave West Ham, providing it would be in “cooperation with the club,” adding the transfer “didn’t work out.”
Fullkrug has not been selected in Julian Nagelsmann’s Germany squad since September, missing the camps in October and November.
In April 2024, Fullkrug made headlines after accusing his team-mates of having a “mindset problem” in a fiery post-match interview with Sky Sports following a 1-1 draw with bottom-club Southampton.
Fullkrug joined West Ham following an impressive European Championship campaign with Germany, scoring twice in five substitute appearances. However, the striker has only managed to record three goals and two assists in 29 appearances for the Premier League club.
He last appeared as a 78th-minute substitute in West Ham’s 2-0 home defeat by Liverpool, and has not been in the squad for two of their past three Premier League matches, having been an unused substitute in the 1-1 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion.
Fullkrug came through Werder Bremen’s youth system and went on to score 49 times in 124 appearances over two spells with the Bundesliga club. He spent the 2023-24 season at Dortmund, recording 15 goals and 10 assists in 43 appearances, before joining West Ham in a £27million ($36.1m) deal.
Milan are second in Serie A ahead of their Supercoppa Italiana final against Napoli in Saudi Arabia on Thursday. They have a thinner schedule this season due to failing to qualify for a European competition.
Additional reporting: Roshane Thomas, Seb Stafford-Bloor, Leon Imber
The writing has been on the wall for Fullkrug at West Ham
Analysis from Roshane Thomase
Fullkrug’s days as a West Ham player were numbered after his unconvincing display against Arsenal. Head coach Nuno Espirito Santo handed the injury-prone forward a rare start, but Fullkrug failed to show he could be Nuno’s preferred No 9.
Following the 2-0 loss to Arsenal on October 4, Fullkrug has only featured twice as a late substitute in games against Bournemouth and Liverpool.
Summer signing Callum Wilson has justified Nuno’s decision to entrust him with leading with the line. The England international has scored four goals across 11 appearances this season, already surpassing Fullkrug’s total number of goals for West Ham (three in 29 appearances). Fullkrug has not scored for West Ham since April.
