‘For A Full Season’ – Boss Hints Move For West Ham Flop Not On Agenda | OneFootball

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Werder Bremen head coach Daniel Thioune has hinted that West Ham United flop Niclas Fullkrug is not the profile the club are targeting this summer, with a preference for players who offer greater intensity and availability.

In January, Fullkrug completed a loan switch to AC Milan with an option to buy after slipping down the pecking order at the London Stadium, with injuries having disrupted his campaign since October.

The 33-year-old endured a difficult campaign in Italy, managing just one goal during his loan spell with I Rossoneri, and his struggles ultimately failed to convince Julian Nagelsmann to hand him a World Cup call-up after previously featuring for Germany in Qatar in 2022.

Despite the Irons closing the season with a 3-0 win over Leeds United, relegation from the Premier League was confirmed, with the club now expected to offload the German striker this summer despite his contract running until 2028.

Fitness problems have hampered Fullkrug across both this season and last, with the ex-Werder Bremen man spending lengthy periods on the sidelines during the 2024/25 campaign and limited to just 20 appearances in all competitions.

Werder Bremen, meanwhile, ended this season just one place above the relegation playoff spot in 15th in the Bundesliga and are bracing themselves for a significant summer rebuild in an attempt to climb back towards the upper end of the table.

Thioune stressed the importance of having players capable of staying available throughout the season, suggesting the club are reluctant to gamble on reputations that come with recurring injury concerns and lengthy spells on the sidelines.

He said in an interview with German outlet Deichstube: “We need players who are available for a full season if possible, and not those who are exciting because of their past, but who have a handicap and possibly a lot of absences.”

The 51-year-old explained that discussions with new head of squad planning Markus Pilawa were centred around improving the squad’s intensity and ensuring greater player availability throughout the season, a profile the West Ham frontman does not appear to fit.

“In discussions with Markus Pilawa, it was particularly important for us that the team needs to make a leap forward in terms of intensity and availability.”

A return to the Weserstadion appears unlikely for Fullkrug, with Venezia instead emerging as one of the clubs keeping tabs on the experienced striker.

The German forward also attracted interest from the MLS in April and could yet be tempted by a move to the United States, while Schalke may also emerge as an option now that they are back in the top flight.

A turbulent summer now lies ahead for West Ham following relegation, with a significant financial hit expected and several players unlikely to be keen on Championship football, while uncertainty also continues to surround whether Nuno Espirito Santo will remain in charge next season.