West Ham look to be taking drastic action after Niclas Fullkrug’s attitude rang alarm bells in the 2-2 draw at Bournemouth.
Nuno Espirito Santo is picking up the pieces from the wreckage left behind by Tim Steidten, Julen Lopetegui and Graham Potter.
Steidten made 10 signings during his only window in full control of West Ham’s recruitment, spending a whopping £155m.
Few were worse value and more ill-advised than £27m Niclas Fullkrug, though.
The German was completely the wrong profile of striker for the Hammers and the Premier League – where pace and mobility are absolute necessities.
Fullkrug the poster boy for Steidten’s disastrous West Ham tenure
While he is clearly an accomplished finisher in the right side, Fullkrug always looked like a questionable signing given he was slow, immobile, ageing and injury-prone.
His time at West Ham has followed the usual pattern for forwards in east London, nothing short of disastrous.
Fullkrug has spent the vast majority of his time in east London out injured.
Rumours abound last season that he wanted out having failed to settle.
He shed some weight in the summer in a bid to stay fit but it hasn’t worked with injuries keeping him out for six weeks again.
West Ham have told Fullkrug’s agent he can leave ahead of the January transfer window.
The Hammers want to use any money raised to invest in at least one new striker.
The club’s majority owner David Sullivan has warned Fullkrug he won’t leave West Ham on the cheap.
Now it seems Fullkrug may be playing for a move, quite literally.
The German striker’s application on his return to action at Bournemouth was seriously alarming.
Fullkrug was given a 1/10 rating for his woeful substitute appearance at the Vitality where he was nothing short of an embarrassment.
Yes he was bound to be a bit rusty. But it was noted that Fullkrug looked like a fan who had been pulled from the crowd and put in a West Ham shirt.
West Ham’s drastic action over Fullkrug after alarming attitude
The striker frustrated fans by walking around and offered nothing while looking completely disinterested.
West Ham had already made their minds up to offload Fullkrug in January.
But given what he cost the club, his dismal return and the side’s predicament in the Premier League, the least fans expect is to see some effort and fight – especially when coming on as a sub.
It seems that Fullkrug’s performance and attitude has prompted an immediate response from the Hammers’ hierarchy.
And the message being sent to Fullkrug is unmistakably clear.
Why do you think Niclas Fullkrug failed?
Sky Sports Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg has revealed that West Ham are actively hawking out Fullkrug to clubs to try and set up a sale as soon as the January window opens.
Plettenberg says West Ham want Fullkrug gone permanently in the winter window.
The reporter says the Hammers are telling clubs they might be open to a loan deal but only if it carries a realistic obligation – not option – to buy.
West Ham have cast their line out to clubs but there have been no bites by way of formal offers for Fullkrug as of yet.
Hammers actively hawking Fullkrug out
Excitingly, Plettenberg has confirmed West Ham fully intend to reinvest any funds generated from Fullkrug’s departure to sign one or two new forwards.
It is a shame Fullkrug’s time at West Ham is coming to an end in this manner.
But the writing was on the wall from his very first game.
After being named on the bench, Fullkrug spoke out in the press saying he did not join West Ham to be a back-up striker.
It would not be the last time Fullkrug spoke out either. In fact Hammers fans have quipped the striker has done more interviews than he has played games since joining the club.
Fullkrug had all the ingredients to be a cult hero at West Ham but instead he will be flogged in January as the club’s latest striker flop.
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