West Ham loan round-up: Niclas Fullkrug told to expect Jurgen Klopp visit, defender on the fringes
West Ham United are seeing their loanees enjoying varying success away from E20 this season.
As the international break arrives, these coming weeks provide the first chance for players and coaches to pause and reflect.
Nuno Espirito Santo must be extremely happy with how his West Ham side have put some early-season frustration behind them in recent weeks.
But whilst things are going well for the Irons at present, those who left the London Stadium on loan this summer are enduring mixed success.
West Ham Zone rounds up how each of the Hammers' four summer loanees are getting on with their new clubs.
Why Niclas Fullkrug is in Germany call-up conversation at Werder Bremen
After returning from a hugely disappointing loan spell with AC Milan this summer, Niclas Fullkrug was always likely to leave West Ham again.
The 33-year-old evidently wasn't in Nuno's plans, and getting his salary off the wage bill in some form was important.
A loan move to German Bundesliga side Werder Bremen was eventually completed in mid-August, and he's absolutely thriving there.
Fullkrug has netted four times in his first five games in all competitions, and has scored in his last three-straight Bundesliga outings.
Calls for him to be included in Jurgen Klopp's Germany team for this international break have been loud as a result, but he didn't make the cut.
Speaking via Bulinews, Bremen boss Daniel Thioune said: "If Niclas Füllkrug keeps getting on the scoresheet week after week, then the national team coach will certainly make his way up the A1 towards the north at some point."
Now let's take catch up with two defenders who've both bagged moves to top European leagues.
Wan-Bissaka making solid Aston Villa starting claims
Starting with Aaron Wan-Bissaka, the 28-year-old made it pretty clear he wanted to leave West Ham this summer after relegation.
The 28-year-old got himself a move to Aston Villa, where the expectation was that he'd largely be a backup player under Unai Emery.
However, he's now started in all of Villa's last four games in all competitions, keeping established starter Matty Cash at bay.
Meanwhile, Jean-Clair Todibo was another who made his exit desire clear this summer, and eventually joined Lens on loan for the season.
The 26-year-old has made two appearances for the French side so far, but has started just once and only culminated 80 Ligue 1 minutes.
Lens are dealing with some injuries in their centre-back ranks, but star youngster Samson Baidoo is expected back in October.
If Todibo can't secure a starting role before the 22-year-old Austrian international returns, he could find himself in a backup role moving forward.
There was one other West Ham defender who left on loan this summer too: Kaelan Casey.
Why Casey and West Ham may be regretting Stevenage move
After spending time out on loan with Swansea and Leyton Orient last season, Casey is trying his best to kickstart his senior career.
The 21-year-old central defender completed a deadline-busting deal to send him to League One outfit Stevenage for the 2026-27 season.
But from the first three games he's been eligible to play in, the England youth international has been an unused substitute in all of them.
Alex Revell's side currently sit 11th in League One and have kept just one clean sheet through their first seven games of the campaign.
So, if Casey can't find his way into what hasn't been a watertight Stevenage defence soon, then his future West Ham prospects will look bleak.