After weeks of rumours about ongoing interest and positive talks, Milan confirmed the signing of Füllkrug on an initial loan deal from West Ham United just hours after the window had officially opened on January 2.

In actual fact, the striker had been training at Milanello with his new teammates since Boxing Day, thanks to the clearance granted by the London club. The aim was to have him ready for Massimiliano Allegri for the match against Cagliari, and he did indeed make the squad.

Not only that, but we got a cameo from the German off the bench, and he grew into the game after a rusty start. What can fans expect from a player many West Ham fans were happy to see the back of?
Back story

Niclas Füllkrug was born in Hanover on 9 February 1993 in Hanover, Germany. He played for a number of different local sides including TuS Ricklingen – where he spent eight years from 1996 to 2005 – and then Sportfreunde Ricklingen for one year.

It is believed that while with the former he averages 160 goals per season playing at various youth levels, showing how dominant he was from a young age. This attracted the attention of Werder Bremen, and he joined their academy aged 14.

By 2011 as an 18-year-old he was playing at full senior level with Werder Bremen II, and then two years later he headed to Greuther Fürth on a one-year loan deal. In November 2013 he announced himself to everyone with a 12-minute hat-trick against Erzgebirge Aue in an eventual four-goal haul.
Niclas Fuellkrug of Fuehrt
Photo by Juergen Schwarz/Bongarts/Getty Images

Injury setbacks would sadly become a theme running through his career, and he sustained a ligament rupture in his right ankle after a great start with Fürth. After he recovered, he joined their city rivals Nürnberg permanently, but Werder had a buy-back clause.

After bagging 18 goals in 59 appearances for them across two competitions Füllkrug joined his hometown club Hannover 96 on a four-year deal in July 2016, for a fee reportedly worth €3m including bonuses. He failed to score in his first eight Bundesliga games, and then he took off.

The striker bagged a hat-trick against Mainz 05 on 13 January 2018 and ended with 14 goals in his first season, earning talk of a potential call-up to the German national team. It is worth mentioning at this point that he was only 25.

He could have made a big-money move to Borussia Mönchengladbach that summer as they apparently offered €18m to sign him. Füllkrug stayed and renewed his deal, but the next season was plagued by an ankle issue and various knee problems, including cartilage damage to his right knee for the third time in his career.

After an operation, Füllkrug went back to former club Werder Bremen in the 2019 summer window for around €6.3-7m, depending on which source you believe. He would sustain another knee issue that September and miss several months, scoring four goals in 11 games that season.

Bremen suffered relegation in 2020-21, but Füllkrug did bag his first top-flight hat-trick against Schalke. New signing Marvin Ducksch came in, the pair were used together and Niclas bagged 19 goals in the 2. Bundesliga to secure an instant return to the first division.

Then, Füllkrug’s exploits continued. In the first 14 games of the 2022–23 Bundesliga season he bagged 10 goals, convincing Germany national coach Hansi Flick to call him up for the World Cup in November. He was the league top scorer that season with 16 goals, tied with none other than RB Leipzig’s Christopher Nkunku.

Then came the next step, as the forward headed to Borussia Dortmund for a fee of around €13m plus bonuses. It was far from a bad season for him as he got 25 goal contributions (15 of them goals) in 43 games across all competitions, including another hat-trick.

He scored his first Champions League goal in a 2-0 victory over Newcastle United. Further goals in the competition came against Atlético Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain. He scored a header ruled-out by the VAR in a 2-0 loss to Real Madrid in the final.

The Premier League came knocking with its riches, and the German headed to West Ham United for a reported fee of €30m, signing a four-year deal. He scored just three goals in 18 months there, in another injury-plagued spell in his career.

As mentioned, Füllkrug’s first senior national team call-up came in November 2022, for the World Cup in Qatar. He scored on his debut against Oman in a friendly, and then scored in the tournament itself in a 1-1 draw with Spain, adding another goal in a 4–2 win over Costa Rica. However, Germany finished third in the group and went home early.

The 32-year-old has scored 14 goals in 24 games for his country, which is far from a bad record. However, due to various ailments, he has not played for Germany since June, which puts his spot at the 2026 World Cup in a bit of doubt.

In his analysis, Rohit Rajeev has broken Füllkrug’s profile down into various different areas to deduce exactly what Milan might get from such an enigmatic yet traditional centre-forward.

Physiological: Füllkrug fits the mesomorph profile of what Milan need. A
high muscle-to-fat ratio, strong frame, and long legs mean short-to-medium strides, which could partly explain his recurring injuries.

He isn’t a high top-speed striker, but his acceleration over short distances is solid, making him effective in the box and in duels rather than in open-field sprints.

Psychological: Füllkrug is a vocal presenc. He is very different from Christian Pulisic’s quieter leadership style. You can often see him taking charge in huddles, like during West Ham’s game against Chelsea.

He may not be in the mould of Zlatan Ibrahimovic or Olivier Giroud, but a striker who demands the ball, shows for it, and communicates constantly is a big plus for Milan, especially for structure, confidence and game management in tight moments.
On the ball

Starting position: Typically, Füllkrug starts deeper than most forwards, which allows Dortmund to play directly into him . This positioning enables him to operate with his back to goal, hold-up play, and link attacks while other forwards make runs in behind, making him an ideal reference point in the final third.
fullkrug analysis

First touch: Füllkrug usually prefers to receive the ball with the instep of his boot, but his first touch isn’t consistently clean, and that inconsistency has been a recurring weakness in his game.

Dribbling: Füllkrug is a low-touch striker who occasionally uses his left foot to dribble past markers, but not with consistency. At Dortmund, Terzić streamlined his role, using him primarily as a reference point to anchor the attack and link play.
fullkrug analysis

Link-up play: The German looks to connect play through varied passing choices. He often releases team-mates with minimal touches, prioritising ball progression and finding runners in pockets of space. Quick, deft touches are also used effectively for flick-ons and sharp combinations.

Hold-up play: Füllkrug uses his frame intelligently to place his body between the ball and the opponent, effectively shielding possession. He executed this perfectly against Axel Witsel, holding his ground long enough to allow Ian Maatsen to get his shot off against Atlético Madrid.

Striker instincts: In this sequence you can clearly see Füllkrug’s striker instincts, delaying his run, then bending it to attack the space at the exact moment the cross is delivered. He consistently targets the far post on crosses, timing his movement to arrive unmarked and maximise his finishing angles.