Niclas Fullkrug may have been pigeonholed as something of a typical penalty-box targetman but, as West Ham United’s German international explains, he is capable of a lot more than getting on the end of crosses.
The signs were there at the end of the 2024/25 Premier League campaign.
Niclas Fullkrug enjoyed his longest run of consecutive games in April and May, after recovering from a hamstring injury which had kept him on the sidelines for much of the winter. And, during the 1-1 draw with London neighbours Tottenham Hotspur in particular, Fullkrug caught the eye when dropping deep, linking the play, and opening up spaces for Jarrod Bowen to dart in behind the opposition backline.
Bowen insists Fullkrug remains a ‘massively important’ piece in the West Ham United puzzle.
The fact he was limited to only six Premier League starts last term due to injury means the Hammers faithful are yet to see the best of the £27 million signing from Borussia Dortmund.
But, like Crysencio Summerville, Lucas Paqueta and many more in Graham Potter’s dressing room, Fullkrug is ready to sink his teeth into the 2025/26 campaign and belatedly show what he’s all about.
The burgeoning partnership he enjoyed with captain and talisman Bowen towards the end of his debut season, meanwhile, certainly bodes well.
Niclas Fullkrug hails ‘incredible’ West Ham United captain Jarrod Bowen
Speaking to former Hammers defender Anton Ferdinand before the 2-1 defeat by Manchester United in Chicago, Fullkrug opened up on the role he hopes to play in Potter’s frontline. Not just as a goalscorer, but a facilitator too.
The perfect, physical foil for an attacker at his most effective when given the space to make darting runs off the shoulder and wreak havoc in behind.
“I don’t like to speak so much about myself! I want to help the team,” a humble Fullkrug explains. “Sometimes, you need to help your team running-wise, fighting-wise or something, and sometimes you just have to score goals.
“This is my goal, my aim. To be helpful for the team.
“I think you can see also I like to be a link-up player, to transfer the game from the defensive to the attack. And when you have players like Jarrod, who are quick, who can run in behind, it’s incredible for me.
“I like it so much.”
Fullkrug is aiming for a top-half finish under Graham Potter
Fullkrug has no plans to leave West Ham during the remainder of the summer transfer window, despite links with Italian giants Juventus.
His broad, gap-toothed grin has been a common sight throughout the club’s pre-season preparations; The 32-year-old clearly a charismatic presence off the pitch if a somewhat underutilised presence on it thus far.
Fullkrug feels that El Hadji Malick Diouf’s arrival will help him to live up to that eye-watering price-tag though, with a top-half finish the target.
“If we are hoping to be eighth in the table, it is much better than if we are going to be 14th in the table,” adds the one-time Werder Bremen and Nurnberg favourite.
“And that’s my aim, to finish the season in a good place up the table.”
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