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While the likes of Axel Disasi, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Konstantinos Mavropanos could miss out on a World Cup spot, there is a very real chance that West Ham United flop Niclas Fullkrug will be present on US soil this summer.
Fullkrug has endured an underwhelming loan spell at AC Milan, scoring only once in 14 matches since joining the Serie A giants on loan from the Hammers in the January transfer window.
Yet, as France boss Didier Deschamps overlooks an in-form Disasi, as Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Mads Hermansen and Tomas Soucek all face nail-biting play-offs, an out-of-sorts, goal-shy Niclas Fullkrug could land on his feet, internationally-speaking.
Why do you think Niclas Fullkrug failed?
Sky Deutschland report that Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann has touched base to the unpopular West Ham United striker recently.
As far as Nagelsmann is concerned, despite the fact Fullkrug has hit the target only four times in 43 matches since leaving Borussia Dortmund for an eye-watering £27 million, the veteran targetman is still the joker in his Germany pack.
Niclas Fullkrug could go to the World Cup with Germany after West Ham United exit
It is not exactly uncommon for international managers to pick tried-and-trusted players over more in-form talents ahead of an international tournament.
See Moussa Sissoko, almost an ever-present even in a star-studded France generation. Jordan Henderson was still selected for England while out in Saudi Arabia.
On the other side of the spectrum, Axel Disasi was left out of the France squad this month even after William Saliba pulled out, despite his impressive impact at West Ham.
Photo by Giuseppe Maffia/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Sky claim that, despite a largely miserable year-and-a-half for Fullkrug, Nagelsmann is keeping the door open for a player for whom has a very soft spot. The former Bayern Munich manager feels that Fullkrug’s tournament experience and his targetman build could come in extremely handy across the Atlantic.
Newcastle’s Nick Woltemade and Stuttgart’s Denis Undav have made promising starts to their international careers. But neither can match Fullkrug in terms of caps [24] or goals [14].
Fullkrug has been a disappointment at Italian giants AC Milan
To borrow a common German phrase – schadenfreude – there will be plenty of West Ham fans cackling at the idea of Fullkrug lumbering around Italy with barely a goal to his name.
A striker who became increasingly maligned as time went on is, to the delight of many who feared he’d be a man revived at Milan, proving to be just as underwhelming over there as he was over here.
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Photo by Mateusz Slodkowski/Getty Images
“Milan haven’t managed to solve a problem that’s been going on for years,” reporter Gabriele Giustiniani told Milan News after a 33-year-old Fullkrug mustered one single shot on target during 70 minutes on the pitch in last week’s 3-2 victory over Torino.
“They gambled on the wrong profile. This Fullkrug isn’t the same player he was [back in 2024 while at Dortmund].”
In recent days, West Ham have been credited with an interest in Santiago Castro of Bologna, plus Armando Gonzalez of Chivas and Juventus benchwarmer Jonathan David.
Fullkrug is sure to have very little chance of a redemption at the London Stadium, regardless of what may happen at the World Cup.
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