If West Ham United fans are watching and wondering quite how Niclas Füllkrug has been revived this season, then look no further for the answer.
It seems the 33-year-old’s injury hit spell at the London Stadium has led to a rather extreme decision by Werder Bremen this season. But, it’s on that’s working.
This week’s edition of SportBILD covers the striker as he continues his resurgence in Germany. He joined Bremen on loan from West Ham in the summer after taking a big pay cut to make the deal happen.
He was determined to get back to Germany to get his career back on track after his disastrous spell in London. He’s firmly on course to achieve that too, with six goal in six games already.
That’s his personal best so far and better than when he finished top goalscorer in the Bundesliga back in 2023.
Injury avoidance
The key thing is avoiding injury. And on that front, it seems Werder have given him special dispensation.
SportBILD explain that if Füllkrug feels he needs to dial back his intensity during midweek training to avoid injury, he is permitted to do so.
This was agreed with manager Daniel Thioune during talks in the summer. To put it simply, the West Ham loanee ‘decides himself when he trains’.
Füllkrug now pays meticulous attention to every detail in his training preparation and recovery. He also makes constant use of Werder’s medical department.
It’s all in stark contrast to his time at West Ham. That was beset by muscle injuries. SportBILD say the situation was exacerbated by a lack of proper load management and medical support.
“Niclas has become more experienced. He knows exactly what is good for his body—and what isn’t,” explained sporting director Clemens Fritz.
Niclas Füllkrug injury record
Notable injury absences
| Period | Club | Injury | Days out | Matches missed* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan–Jun 2013 | Werder Bremen | Knee cartilage damage | 159 | 20 |
| Mar–Aug 2015 | Nürnberg | Knee cartilage damage | 165 | 11 |
| Dec 2018–May 2019 | Hannover 96 | Knee cartilage damage | 144 | 17 |
| Sep 2019–Jun 2020 | Werder Bremen | Cruciate ligament rupture | 259 | 27 |
| Oct–Dec 2020 | Werder Bremen | Calf injury | 67 | 9 |
| Jan–Feb 2021 | Werder Bremen | Ankle problems | 29 | 5 |
| Apr 2021 | Werder Bremen | Broken toe | 15 | 3 |
| Apr 2023 — first spell | Werder Bremen | Calf problems | 10 | 1 |
| Apr–May 2023 | Werder Bremen | Calf problems | 26 | 3 |
| Sep 2023 | Borussia Dortmund | Tendon irritation | 12 | 2 |
| Sep–Dec 2024 | West Ham United | Achilles tendon irritation | 86 | 16 |
| Jan–Apr 2025 | West Ham United | Hamstring injury | 81 | 11 |
| Oct–Nov 2025 | West Ham United | Torn muscle bundle | 45 | 4 |
*Matches missed follow the source database’s counts and should not be treated as club-only totals. Recorded absence periods may differ from the dates of injury or first competitive appearance after recovery.
Sources: Transfermarkt; SportsDunia for the 2019/20 absence figures. Werder Bremen and West Ham club reports corroborate the major knee, Achilles and hamstring injuries.
What happens next?
The question of what happens next is becoming more prevalent. Füllkrug is only on loan until next summer. His current deal with West Ham expires in 2028.
Werder would like to secure him on a long-term basis. But there is a catch. If he continues to score, his market value will only keep rising.
There is also a feeling that West Ham are unlikely to sanction a cheap deal given they paid €27m to sign him in 2024. They can’t just make decisions over the striker’s head, though.
He has no desire to leave Werder again and is motivated by personal reasons too. His daughter (7) started school last summer. Bremen intend to use these points as leverage during negotiations with West Ham next summer.
