West Ham: Niclas Fullkrug fitness key as Graham Potter bids to build solid foundations | OneFootball

Whether Fullkrug and Callum Wilson can stay injury-free is likely to be crucial as Hammers gear up for tough-looking start to new season

Graham Potter is facing a big first full season at West Ham.

Potter inherited a mess when he replaced Julen Lopetegui in January and was unable to spark a dramatic upturn in results as the Hammers endured a disappointing 2024-25 campaign.

It represented an underwhelming start to life at the London Stadium, but Potter is targeting improvements this season as he bids to repair his reputation.

Potter was viewed as one of the brightest young coaches in the country at Brighton before his failed spell at Chelsea and then a 20-month period out of work.

At West Ham, he hopes to build something stable and bring back the good times to a club who won a European trophy only two years ago.

It has been a difficult summer, with Mohammed Kudus joining Tottenham, while El Hadji Malick Diouf, Kyle Walker-Peters, Callum Wilson, and goalkeeper Mads Hermansen have joined the club.

Potter learned a lot from last season and has sought to change the culture at West Ham.

A good environment, respect, and teamwork are key to his overhaul behind the scenes, but he will be judged by results, and expectation levels will be high.

West Ham face a tough start away at newly-promoted Sunderland before games against Chelsea, Nottingham Forest, and Tottenham.

Young midfielders Freddie Potts and George Earthy will be involved in the first-team picture following productive loan spells last season.

But West Ham remain in the market for two midfielders before the transfer window closes.

The departure of Kudus has left a creative void in what was already an industrious team.

In his absence, Potter will look to Lucas Paqueta to provide the spark from midfield. Cleared of spot-fixing charges, Paqueta has looked a more confident player during pre-season.

Potter has had to look inwardly for solutions, with West Ham unable to spend as freely as they did last summer.

He will have been encouraged by the form of striker Niclas Fullkrug, who is back fit again after an injury-hit debut season.

Fullkrug and new signing Wilson, whose own injury record is not great, make for a potentially unreliable frontline.

But both players know where the goal is and should score goals if they can stay fit.

Potter said in his pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday’s trip to Sunderland that the key to getting the best out of Wilson, who failed to score a league goal for the first time in his senior career last season, was to help him enjoy his football again.

“We have to help him enjoy his football, to be available, to be on the pitch and fight for his position, which we can do and we’re confident about,” Potter said of his new recruit.

That’s a mantra Potter will be hoping to instil across the club, who have become disillusioned since their Conference League victory.

With the promoted clubs expected to put up more of a fight this season, any side who struggles could find themselves in a relegation battle.

West Ham and Potter need some big results early on to start on the front foot.