“England just isn’t for me” – West Ham flop explains what has gone wrong
by Naveen Ullal · Sport WitnessWest Ham United‘s Niclas Füllkrug has enjoyed a good start to the season at Werder Bremen, after the Championship side let him join them on loan in the summer window.
The Hammers reportedly paid around €30m to sign the striker from Borussia Dortmund in 2024.
He managed 15 goals and 10 assists in his only season at BVB but failed to impress at West Ham. To put it in context, the Germany international finished his debut season in London with three goals and two assists from 20 matches.
In his second season, the 33-year-old failed to score or contribute an assist from nine matches. Therefore, they sent him on loan to AC Milan in January. Füllkrug’s struggles continued in Italy as he managed one goal from 20 matches for the Serie A side.
The Rossoneri didn’t make his stay permanent, resulting in his return to West Ham in the summer. The latter had dropped to the Championship and in August, they allowed him to join Werder Bremen on loan.
West Ham flop explains reason for good start
Niclas Füllkrug has already matched his West Ham United and AC Milan’s four-goal tally in five matches for Werder Bremen.
Last week, the attacker questioned how it is possible that he’s had such a good start, after leaving the Championship side.
This week’s print edition of SportBild have published an interview with the German. He explains why he flopped at West Ham and hopes to put that tough spell behind him.
“You only need to look at my medical history: I suffered a lot, but almost never because of muscle injuries. I can’t really explain why things went so badly for me at West Ham. England just isn’t the right fit for me, either as a player or as an athlete,” he said.
“Now I just hope everything stays the way it is.”
| Niclas Füllkrug — club stats | 2024/25 | 2025/26 | 2026/27 so far |
|---|---|---|---|
| Club(s) | West Ham | West Ham, AC Milan | Werder Bremen |
| Appearances | 20 | 29 | 5 |
| Minutes played | 874 | 1,060 | 366 |
| Goals | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Assists | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Goal contributions | 5 | 1 | 4 |
| Minutes per goal | 291 | 1,060 | 92 |
Injury problems while at West Ham
The player was suffering with calf problems regularly prior to joining Borussia Dortmund in 2024. He missed one match for BVB [due to rest]. However, Niclas Füllkrug struggled with fitness while at West Ham United.
An Achilles tendon problem in September 2024 kept him on the sidelines for 86 days.
He then picked up a hamstring injury in January 2025 and was out for 81 days.
In his second season, the German missed 48 days because of two different injuries.
This not only impacted his game time but also his performances while he was available for selection.
It’s clear the move to London hasn’t worked out and it won’t be a surprise if Füllkrug were to push for a permanent move away from Nuno Espírito Santo’s side.