West Ham United might not exactly be helping themselves when trying to force through the departure of £27 million millstone Niclas Fullkrug.
While there are over two months remaining in the transfer window, potential destinations already feel worryingly lacking.
Former employers Werder Bremen will not go near Fullkrug’s wage demands. He reportedly earns £90,000-a-week at West Ham United, while Werder have now completed the signing of Cedric Itten; a 6ft 3ins, free transfer alternative to their dream target.
What would YOU do with Niclas Fullkrug next season?
A Bundesliga return looks unlikely and AC Milan have walked away…
AC Milan were never going to trigger the purchase clause in his contract after Niclas Fullkrug scored only once in 20 matches during a loan spell in Serie A. Fullkrug is also reported to have turned his nose up at an offer from newly-promoted Venezia.
Something simply has to give somewhere.
Unfortunately for West Ham, it appears increasingly likely that the bullet will have to be bitten. Any lingering hope they had of recouping a respectable sum for a striker who set them back nearly £30 million in 2024 has long since disappeared.
West Ham United are asking for too much for Niclas Fullkrug
According to latest reports from The Athletic, West Ham have no plans to terminate Fullkrug’s contract and let him walk out the door for free. They have rejected such requests from unnamed suitors.
The report adds that the Hammers value Fullkrug at a fee up to £8 million.
The problem is, a combination of an £8 million fee plus £90,000-a-week in wages is well beyond the sort of clubs who are going to consider a 33-year-old striker with four league goals in the last two seasons.
Venezia, Werder Bremen, a Fiorentina side who spent much of last season scared to death about the prospect of relegation; this is the sort of interest Fullkrug is attracting these days.
In order to bring about a permanent solution to a long-standing problem, it may require both Fullkrug and West Ham lowering their demands considerably.
As Werder Bremen’s Managing Director Clemens Fritz explained in conversation with Sport BILD a few months ago; ‘from an economic perspective, our chances [of bringing Fullkrug back to the Weser Stadion] were very slim’.
Hammers may have to accept closer to £4m if they will not terminate his contrat
Of course, there is something that exists between terminating Fullkrug’s contract and demanding £8 million.
The fixtures are out! How many points do West Ham NEED in the first 5 games?
Turf Moor is a tough start…
The Athletic do add that the Hammers may consider bids in the region of £4 million and up, should they get a little desperate. That is the fee West Ham and Milan agreed upon, after all, when putting an option-to-buy clause in his Rossoneri contract last December.
West Ham could bring in £130 million by selling Mateus Fernandes and Crysencio Summerville. Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Dinos Mavropanos and El Hadji Malick Diouf also have admirers.
Once a few high-profile sales arrive to boost the coffers and West Ham no longer need the funds, Fullkrug’s price-tag could drop as quickly as his reputation.
Though with Werder Bremen already out of contention, it remains to be seen whether there are any offers on the table by that point.
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