Credit: Imago

Evan Lloyd

Sat 18 October 2025 7:10, UK

Nuno Espirito Santo has been thrown an early curveball at West Ham, with Niclas Fullkrug set for an extended period on the sidelines.

Fullkrug will be “out for a while”, Nuno confirmed on Friday, after the striker suffered a tear to his muscle while on international duty with Germany.

The 32-year-old has suffered several issues since his arrival last summer, missing more than four months of the previous campaign.

Callum Marshall and Callum Wilson are expected to compete in Fullkrug’s absence, with Monday’s meeting with Brentford expected to serve as an audition for both players.

West Ham released Michail Antonio in the summer, choosing instead to hand a chance to the returning Marshall, who had spent the season on loan at Huddersfield Town.

Niclas Fullkrug has been in dreadful form this season

Fullkrug was woeful against Arsenal before the international break, but his performance was no different from much of what the German has offered throughout the season.

In his six appearances in the Premier League this season, the striker has registered 0.85 expected goals (xG) from eight shots, and has failed to score a single goal.

Of course, the service is sorely lacking. For West Ham this season, just four players have managed to create more than five chances, with Fullkrug himself being one of those.

But the problem is that when the German is not receiving chances, he offers very little impact on the game at all.

Fullkrug has registered just 0.19 expected assists this season, down on the strikers who play for the likes of Leeds United, Burnley, and Brentford – West Ham’s direct competition at this stage.

And past that, the 32-year-old has not completed a single dribble and offers an appalling success rate in the duel.

Fullkrug has won just 29.7 per cent of his total duels this season, and despite standing at 6ft2 tall, the striker has won just 36.4 per cent of his aerial duels – leaving him ranked 168th in the Premier League and below the likes of 5ft8 Emi Buendia, according to fbref.

The less said about the former Borussia Dortmund forward’s defensive contribution, the better, too.

Fullkrug has committed more fouls than he had made recoveries, winning the possession in the opposition’s final third just once.

• Read more: Niclas Fullkrug exit ‘not excluded’ at West Ham in January as potential transfer destination shared

Fullkrug had thrived at Borussia Dortmund

Fullkrug’s final season in Germany saw him attract eyes throughout Europe. The striker smashed in 16 goals and provided 10 assists, earning himself a call-up for the Euros.

The German would add two more there, as well, before West Ham pushed the boat out to spend £27million on the man they hoped would solve their goal-scoring problems.

Fullkrug had narrowly underperformed his expected goals in the 2023/24 Bundesliga season, registering 12.9, but the striker had managed to get off 58 shots across the season.

And on the ball, the statistical difference is vast. The 32-year-old created 36 chances for Borussia Dortmund that season, and won 136 duels at a 42.6% completion rate.

Defensively, too, Fullkrug registered 42 recoveries over the course of the season, but only won possession in the final third eight times.

So what has changed? Is it the system, the team, or the injuries? The answer is likely a combination of all three.

Fullkrug suffering from West Ham form

Fullkrug would have been aware that he was going to be making a significant change in terms of team dominance within the league when he went from Borussia Dortmund to West Ham.

But the shift has been so dramatic that it has forced the German to attempt to adopt a completely new play style.

Every single one of Fullkrug’s goals for Borussia Dortmund came from within the box, but the Hammers often struggle to get there.

• According to Statmuse, Arsenal lead the Premier League this season with 244 touches inside the penalty box.
• West Ham sit 17th on the chart, offering just a feeble 131 touches inside the penalty box this season.
• 22 of them have fallen to Niclas Fullkrug, an increase in rate on the just 40 he received in 18 appearances last season.

The quality of the Premier League often sees West Ham forced into their own half, relying on counter-attacking moments to create chances – which are not to Fullkrug’s strengths.

Wilson and Marshall, on the other hand, can use their pace to utilise such opportunities.

Neither player has overly impressed this season – the latter has barely had a kick- but now both will be forced to step up their games and prove to Nuno that they can perform in Fullkrug’s absence.

Injuries have been frequent for Fullkrug since his arrival, but the latest may well kill his West Ham career.

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