After a difficult phase in England, Niclas Füllkrug is taking the step to AC Milan, hoping for the match practice he desperately needs. In Italy, a clearly defined role awaits him that could perfectly suit his strengths. For the national striker, it’s now about much more than just a club transfer.
A video by Italian journalist Antonio Vitiello shows Niclas Füllkrug upon his arrival in Milan: With a letter “Hello guys, buongiorno” and a smile on his lips, the 32-year-old national striker greets the waiting cameras.
He is a man of few words, direct and focused – and that precisely symbolizes what lies ahead for him: the loan move to AC Milan, which has not yet been officially confirmed, but is intended to open up a new perspective for him. For Füllkrug, a sporting and personally difficult time in the English Premier League comes to an end for now.
Niclas Füllkrug leaves West Ham on loan
Setbacks instead of Rhythm
The move from Borussia Dortmund to West Ham United in summer 2024, once celebrated as a leap into the Premier League, developed into a chapter full of injuries, missed appearances, and sporting stagnation.
While the Hammers are in 18th place in the Premier League and have only collected three points from their last six league games, Füllkrug struggled to find any rhythm at all.
Eight leagues, only twice over the full distance, plus a muscle bundle tear and other muscular problems that have sidelined him for a total of over seven weeks this season – all of this increasingly diminished his sporting prospects.
Last World Cup Chance for Füllkrug?
With every week without an appearance, his prospects of participating in next year’s World Cup also dwindled. National coach Julian Nagelsmann had repeatedly emphasized in public statements that he needs players who perform, train, and play in their clubs – the logic of his squad decisions is clear and consistent: playing time is a prerequisite. However, Füllkrug mostly remained without playing time in London – and was therefore also left out of the recent World Cup qualifiers.
As a result of his injuries, he lost contact not only with his club but also with the national team. In the “Copa TS” podcast, he self-critically stated a year ago: “Things went maximally crappy for me, to put it very bluntly.”
A misunderstanding?
Most recently, his agent Thorsten Wirth also spoke out on the “TOMorrow Business Podcast” – and found unusually clear words. “Looking back, one has to say that the transfer didn’t work out. We don’t have to sugarcoat anything.”
A statement that neither sugarcoats nor blames, but describes what everyone could see: Füllkrug never truly settled at West Ham.
This honesty underscores how precarious the situation had become: without a significant change, Füllkrug’s chance of participating in a World Cup would have remained very slim.
Milan as a Lifeline – and Last Chance
With his move to the Italian fashion capital Milan, a new chapter now opens for the 32-year-old – and possibly his last chance to make himself indispensable to Nagelsmann again. Because in Italy, he finds exactly what he barely had in London: match practice, a clear role, and a system that emphasizes his strengths.
The Italian media paint an astonishingly consistent picture of the German striker and specifically integrate him into Milan’s sporting concept. The Gazzetta dello Sport , for example, writes that Milan gains with him “a new box striker who was particularly missing in the last twenty minutes of deadlocked games” – exactly the type of player coach Massimiliano Allegri is looking for.
Former Milan striker Oliver Bierhoff explained in an interview with the Gazzetta why Füllkrug fits this profile so well. He described him as a “classic striker, strong in headers and good at layoffs,” called him “a leader” – and at the same time emphasized that “one should not ask him to lead the counter-attack.” His playing style is not based on speed, but on presence, robustness, and penalty box orientation.
Does His Playing Style Really Suit Milan?
But it’s not only Bierhoff who likes Milan’s choice in the center of attack. Various Italian media describe Füllkrug as exactly the type of striker the club urgently needs.
“Very physically strong, good in aerial play, he likes to play as a true number nine and is very useful for letting the team push forward,” stated Goal Italia .
MilanNews.it called him “the typical robust German goal scorer: tall, strong in headers, and not technically bad either,” while Corriere dello Sport described his characteristics as “ideal for Milan.”
These assessments seem to be cast from one mold – and they perfectly match Allegri, who has been publicly hinting for months that Milan needs a box player who can function as a target man and wall player in tight phases.
Milan Gives Him the Stage – and He Must Use It
With 32 points from 15 league games, Milan is in second place in Serie A. Only city rival Inter has one more point.
Every minute will count for Füllkrug, every appearance is doubly valuable for him: in the fight for his chances at the club and, above all, in the German national team.
His path back to the national team does not begin in the national jersey, but in San Siro. And it could be his last chance.