Niclas Fullkrug was heavily linked with a move to Chelsea before joining West Ham and now he could be set to face them.
West Ham are looking for their first home points of the Premier League season when they welcome Chelsea to the London Stadium on Saturday.
The Hammers have lost to Villa and Man City at home in the league so far.
Now Julen Lopetegui will be looking to really give his West Ham tenure lift off by beating rivals Chelsea.
West Ham salvaged a point at the death against Fulham at the weekend.
Chelsea also scored late in their game at Bournemouth as Christopher Nkunku secured all three points for the Blues.
Much has been made about the team selection of the new managers at both clubs so far this season.
Lopetegui has been criticised for drip-feeding new signings into the West Ham team during an inauspicious start to the campaign.
New West Ham and Chelsea bosses under microscope
Enzo Maresca has spent most of his time as Chelsea boss explaining his selection decisions with so much focus on his bloated squad.
One man West Ham fans have been desperate to see in action is new striker signing Niclas Fullkrug.
Fullkrug was heavily linked with a move to Chelsea – along with just about every other striker in Europe – over the summer.
In the end the Hammers signed the German from Borussia Dortmund for £23.5m.
Lopetegui angered West Ham fans by starting 34-year-old Michail Antonio ahead of Fullkrug in the first three Premier League games.
An injury sustained on international duty last week ruled Fullkrug out of the game at Fulham.
That saw Antonio start once again for the Hammers.
Although Lopetegui made it clear he was furious with Antonio.
So much so he hauled him off at half-time.
Major West Ham update on Fullkrug facing Chelsea
Last week the top contact inside West Ham told Hammers News that Fullkrug only had a 10 per cent chance of playing at Fulham. And he duly missed the game.
Now there’s a major West Ham update on Fullkrug facing ‘club that should’ve signed him’ Chelsea.
Pundit Paul Merson claimed last week that Chelsea dropped a clanger letting West Ham sign Fullkrug.
The Hammers will be hoping Fullkrug can prove Merson right by facing the Blues this weekend.
But what are the big German’s chances of making the game?
He has been suffering with an Achilles tendon and calf issue.
Last week it was claimed he would only miss Fulham.
West Ham are being tentative about his comeback, though.
“Fullkrug’s chances of facing Chelsea are looking 50-50 at the moment,” the spokesman close to West Ham’s owners told Hammers News on Tuesday.
Merson believes Fullkrug will have a big impact for West Ham once he gets into the side.
Merson believes Chelsea should’ve signed new West Ham star
“West Ham have bought well this season,” Merson said.
“I feel Niclas Fullkrug can have an impact… I’m a big fan of his and he scored for Germany during the international break.
“I thought Chelsea should’ve looked to sign him. It was a bit of a surprise to me when they did not make a move. The Blues don’t have a proper striker at the moment.”
Many West Ham fans wanted the club to sign a younger, more dynamic striker like Jhon Duran.
The Villa star – who was also linked with Chelsea – has been on fire since a move to east London hit the buffers over a reported £5m gap in valuation.
That has piled further pressure on Fullkrug to be a success.
Lopetegui will have to wait to see whether he can start to relieve that pressure starting against Chelsea this Saturday.
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