AC Milan have completed the signing of German striker Niclas Füllkrug on a loan deal from West Ham United, with the option to make the transfer permanent at the end of the season.
The 32-year-old forward joined West Ham ahead of the 2024/2025 campaign following an impressive spell with Borussia Dortmund, where he played a key role in their run to the UEFA Champions League final. Füllkrug even started against Real Madrid in the showpiece match at Wembley Stadium.
However, his promising form failed to translate to the Premier League. At West Ham, Füllkrug struggled for regular playing time during a turbulent period that saw the club work under three different permanent managers. He scored just three league goals in 26 appearances, netting twice in nine games under Julen Lopetegui and once in 13 matches during Graham Potter’s tenure.
His involvement reduced further after Nuno Espirito Santo took charge in September. Since then, the German international made only two league starts and logged a total of 178 minutes of top-flight action, leading the Hammers to approve a temporary exit.
The move to Italy represents a fresh start for Füllkrug. Instead of battling relegation in England, he joins a title-chasing AC Milan side currently sitting second in Serie A under Massimiliano Allegri. The Rossoneri are just one point behind city rivals Inter Milan and remain unbeaten in their last 15 league games following an opening-day loss to Cremonese.
Milan are set to face Cagliari on Friday, and Füllkrug has already linked up with his new teammates in training. He will don the iconic number nine jersey and is expected to provide a strong physical presence in attack, especially in a team that has often relied on Christian Pulisic in a two-man forward setup within Allegri’s 3-5-2 system this season.
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