German striker Nicklas Fullkrug was supposed to be a major impact signing for West Ham United this summer. Instead he’s made just three cameo appearances off the bench for the Hammers before picking up an Achilles injury on international duty back in September.
Ahead of the surprise win over Newcastle, Hammers manager Julen Lopetegui made it seem like Fullkrug was moving closer towards a return, saying: “Niclas is improving, but he’s still out and is not ready for Newcastle.”
West Ham United at Leicester City FYIs
Kickoff: Mon. Nov. 25, 2024, at 8:15pm UK, King Power Stadium, Leicester, UK
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Google Result Probability: Leicester City 34% Draw 28% West Ham 38%
PL Position, Form Guide: Leicester City 16th, 10 pts, LDLLL West Ham, 14th, 15 pts WLDWL
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Enough was said, and also unsaid/implied that he could be coming back if not against Arsenal this past weekend, then the following midweek at Leicester City.
Right now that seems all ruled out, as new reports have surfaced indicating that Fullkrug will be out for at least a couple more games. After all, we still haven’t seen Fullkrug back in training yet.
The same reports have indicated that Fullkrug is also unsettled, and possibly looking to leave. Yes, already! What a mess.
At least there is better news when it comes to Mohamed Kudus; he’s now back available after having finished serving his five game suspension.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.