Milan have agreed to sign West Ham’s Niclas Füllkrug on loan with an option to buy at the end of the season. The Germany striker has toiled since moving to the London Stadium from Borussia Dortmund for £27.5m in the summer of 2024 and it is hoped that his exit will free up funds for Nuno Espírito Santo to boost his side’s fight against relegation by bringing in a new forward during next month’s transfer window.
West Ham are interested in Wolves’s Jørgen Strand Larsen but are reluctant to meet his valuation. It is believed that the Premier League’s bottom-placed side want £40m for the Norwegian. West Ham’s budget is limited and they feel that the package for Strand Larsen, who has scored once in the league this season, is too expensive.
West Ham, who are 18th after six games without a win, are scouring the market for forwards. Nuno wants a player with experience of English football. Callum Wilson is the only senior striker at the manager’s disposal. Nuno has had limited success using Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville through the middle in recent games.
The former Nottingham Forest manager is short of options before vital home games against Fulham and Brighton. However, that has not stopped him from discarding Füllkrug, who has not started a match since 4 October. The deal for the former Dortmund striker is regarded by West Ham as one of the worst mistakes made by their former technical director Tim Steidten.
West Ham were keen to get Füllkrug off the books last summer but his wages put off potential buyers. Milan have come forward with a loan proposal and will cover the German’s wages, but they could not be convinced to include an obligation in the deal. Füllkrug has had a string of injury problems during his time in England and has not adapted to the Premier League. He has managed only three goals and 11 league starts for West Ham.
Nuno also wants to sign a new centre-back and could revive interest in Toulouse’s Charlie Cresswell. West Ham could increase their transfer budget by offloading James Ward-Prowse and Luis Guilherme, who is another failed Steidten signing. There could also be offers from Brazil for Lucas Paquetá.
