Niclas Fullkrug is now officially a West Ham United player, after the club made the announcement last night.
The powerful German striker should be perfectly suited to our system and the Premier League in general, what with his physicality and impressive technical ability.
There were plenty of West Ham fans who questioned the club’s move to sign Niclas Fullkrug, when our interest in him first came to light…myself included.
We were actually linked with signing him last summer, but he swapped Werder Bremen for Borussia Dortmund instead.
Now Julen Lopetegui has succeeded where David Moyes failed before him, by bringing Fullkrug to the London Stadium.
Many Hammers fans were concerned that the German is 31, and swapping the Bundesliga for the far more intense speed of the Premier League at this stage of his career could prove to be challenging.
However, look closer into his qualities and general ability and you will see that he actually suits us perfectly.
Firstly, Fullkrug has never had any pace, so his game is not built around making explosive runs in behind the opposition’s defence.
Sure, he’s 31, and it’s a big shame that he’s not four or five years younger, but for the next two seasons, he should be able to do a very good job for us.
And the Germany international has made it very clear to his doubters that he’s ready to shine in a Hammers shirt.
Fullkrug puts concern to bed with statement to West Ham fans
The former Dortmund man should provide the Hammers with a fantastic focal point for our attacking play.
Fullkrug is a proven goalscorer at the very highest level after all, and his game seems to be tailor made for the Premier League.
The prospect of the big German playing in between Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville, and just in front of Mohammed Kudus and Lucas Paqueta is quite something.
He was in fine form for Borussia Dortmund last summer, and racked up 15 goals and 10 assists in 43 appearances in all competitions.
On paper, he should be the perfect man to lead the line for West Ham. So why are there so many dissenting voices suggesting that ‘he’s too old’, and that ‘we should have signed Duran instead’?
Well Fullkrug has now answered those questions emphatically, when speaking to WHUFC.com.
“I love being close to supporters, and I’m really looking forward to meeting the West Ham fans,” Fullkrug said, “I have a very good feeling at the moment – I’m strong, fit and in shape – and I just want to get out there and start playing for them.”
It’s worth remembering that in this day and age, players are far from finished when they reach 31.
Many of them go on to play until they’re in their late 30’s or early 40’s nowadays. Just look at the likes of Tiago Silva, Pepe and Olivier Giroud.
I am now convinced that the 31-year-old German was the right signing for us this summer, and I’m really excited to see how he links up with our other gifted attacking players.
In other news, it has been suggested that a deal for Jhon Duran is not completely dead, even after Niclas Fullkrug was confirmed as a West Ham player.
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