West Ham Secure Fullkrug from Borussia Dortmund
3 min read
The 31-year-old Germany international joins Hammers on a four-year deal
West Ham United have confirmed the signing of 31-year-old striker Niclas Fullkrug from Borussia Dortmund.
Fullkrug joins the Hammers on a four-year deal and will bolster manager Julen Lopetegui’s attacking options.
He started June’s UEFA Champions League final, as Dortmund were beaten by Real Madrid, and at international level he has 13 goals in just 21 matches for Germany, including two strikes at UEFA EURO 2024.
What did he have to say?
“I have been thinking about West Ham for a long time now,” he told the club’s official website.
“I know the technical director Tim Steidten [pictured above, left] very well, because we have history at Werder Bremen together, and I have watched some games and seen how much quality there is in the team.
“The chance to play under the head coach [Lopetegui] is also really exciting. His playing style is important for me, and I am confident that under him I will be able to perform at my best, and score lots of goals.”
West Ham’s 2024/25 transfer activity
Fullkrug becomes West Ham’s fifth acquisition of the summer window, after the arrivals of winger Crysencio Summerville, goalkeeper Wes Foderingham, winger Luis Guilherme and defender Maximilian Kilman.
Meanwhile, defenders Angelo Ogbonna, Ben Johnson and Thilo Kehrer, along with midfielders Said Benrahma and Flynn Downes, have all left the club.
See: Summer 2024 transfers & news
Who is Niclas Fullkrug?
Fullkrug was born on 9 February, 1993, in Germany. He joined Werder Bremen’s academy in 2006, progressing through the ranks and eventually playing for the reserve side and first team.
His career also saw him feature for FC Nurnberg and his hometown club Hannover 96, where he kept the club in the top division in 2017/18, enjoying a standout season, scoring 14 Bundesliga goals in 26 starts.
Fullkrug returned to Werder Bremen in 2019, playing a pivotal role in their promotion back to the Bundesliga in 2022, contributing 19 goals and eight assists.
In the 2022/23 season, he emerged as the Bundesliga top scorer with 16 goals, becoming the first Werder player to achieve this feat since Miroslav Klose in 2005/06.
His consistent performances earned him a move to Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2023.
During his one season at Dortmund, Fullkrug scored 12 goals and registered eight assists in the league.
Fullkrug is the only German player to score 25+ goals in Europe’s top fives leagues across the last two seasons:, with 28 goals in 57 matches.
It was in the UEFA Champions League, though, where he made his biggest contribution as Dortmund reached the final.
Fullkrug scored on three occasions, including against Atletico Madrid in the quarter-final to level the tie on aggregate, and the only goal in the semi-final first leg to defeat Paris Saint-Germain.
Overall, Fullkrug has played 157 Bundesliga matches in his career, netting 56 goals.
What kind of player is he?
Fullkrug is a classic No 9, known for his physicality, aerial strength and ability to play as a target man.
Standing 6ft 2in, his size and strength make him a nightmare for defenders both in the air and on the ground.
When could he make his debut?
Fans could get their first glimpse of Fullkrug in West Ham’s final pre-season friendly against Celta Vigo at London Stadium on 10 August. The Hammers open their Premier League season at home to Aston Villa on Saturday 17 August.
