Bundesliga Clubs Eye Loan Move for West Ham Striker Niclas Füllkrug

Florian Plettenberg reports that two Bundesliga clubs, VfL Wolfsburg and FC Augsburg, are keen to sign West Ham striker Niclas Füllkrug on loan this winter. According to Plettenberg, the Premier League club has granted the 32-year-old permission to depart and is currently seeking a replacement.

Füllkrug is inclined to return to Germany in order to improve his chances of being selected for the German national team ahead of the upcoming World Cup this summer.

Both Bundesliga clubs present promising playing opportunities for the Hannover native, as they are in need of a reliable natural No. 9. Füllkrug would seamlessly integrate into either squad, and as recruitment efforts intensify, it is anticipated that Wolfsburg and Augsburg will tailor their pitches to the experienced striker.

For Wolfsburg, a new head coach has made it a priority to address the team’s attacking issues. Lead striker Jonas Wind has yet to score in the league after ten matchdays, while Algerian international Mohamed Amoura has netted four goals but primarily plays on the left. New summer signing Adam Daghim, with two goals, is more comfortable on the right.

Young German prospect Dzenan Pejcinovic, after a promising hat trick in the opening round of the Pokal, has not found the back of the net since, indicating that he may not yet be prepared for the demands of the Bundesliga. The club would welcome a seasoned mentor like Füllkrug to guide him.

Füllkrug could slot effortlessly into the Wolfsburg attack, alongside Amoura and Daghim, especially with Wind likely to depart during the January window. As a fellow north German, Füllkrug would also feel at home in Lower Saxony.

Meanwhile, head coach Sandro Wagner at Augsburg is struggling to find a solution to the team’s attacking woes. The squad is in dire need of a natural No. 9, as current options Philipp Tietz and Samuel Essende have failed to deliver goals at the Bundesliga level.

Wagner has been utilizing Mert Kömur and Elias Saad in the striker role; however, since Kömur excels on the right and Saad performs better on the left, Füllkrug would be an ideal addition to the FCA lineup. He previously enjoyed productive years in nearby Bavaria, playing for fierce rivals FC Nürnberg and SpVgg Greuther Fürth.