Tim Steidten struggles at West Ham United revealed amid Niclas Fullkrug twist

Tim Steidten may struggle to sell West Ham striker Niclas Fullkrug in January due to his injury concerns, according to Sean Whetstone.

The westhamfootball journalist wrote on X on 23 November that the Germany international prefers to return to his home country.

Since moving to the London Stadium, he has struggled with an Achilles injury and has barely featured for Julen Lopetegui's side.

Whetstone wrote: "West Ham Technical director Tim Steidten would struggle to sell unsettled striker Niclas Fullkrug this January due to his ongoing Achilles injury concerns. There is also doubt whether a German club could afford the transfer fee that would be demanded by the Hammers even though a return to his homeland is his preferred destination."

West Ham made a huge mistake signing Niclas Fullkrug

The signing of Fullkrug was fraught with risks from the outset, primarily due to his age, previous injury record and the club's history of challenges with striker acquisitions.

At 31, the German was not a long-term investment and there were doubts about whether or not he would be able to adapt to life in the Premier League.

The decision to invest big money on a player with such a profile, when the club needed a robust, consistent goal scorer, seems misguided, especially in light of the Premier League's physical demands.

His minimal game time since joining further underscores the gamble's failure, as his fitness concerns limit his appeal in the transfer market, making it difficult for West Ham to recoup even a fraction of their investment.

This situation points to a collective oversight by the recruitment team, including Steidten, who all must share the responsibility for this transfer blunder, which has left the Hammers in a precarious position regarding squad planning and financial management.

In other West Ham news, the club are in a six-horse race with their Premier League rivals to sign a striker and have already tabled a bid.

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