West Ham majority owner David Sullivan has issued a strong message to Niclas Fullkrug amid growing talk of a possible exit.
It took new Hammers boss Nuno Espirito Santo just one game to know what his top priority is for the January transfer window.
The Portuguese started Niclas Fullkrug in his first game at the West Ham helm up at Everton.
Once again Fullkrug failed to impress or convince he is capable of playing in the Premier League.
The German has been the latest in a long line of terrible striker signings made by West Ham.
Since David Sullivan arrived in east London in January 2010, the Hammers have signed an astonishing 57 strikers – Callum Wilson being the latest.
Fullkrug is the latest in a long line of West Ham striker flops
It was clear for all to see West Ham desperately needed to sign a younger, pacy, powerful forward in the summer.
Especially after Danny Ings and Michail Antonio were released and Evan Ferguson was sent back to Brighton after his disastrous loan.
But particularly because Fullkrug had already proved he is not up to the pace of the English game.
Rather than going all in for Jhon Duran, Tim Steidten opted to spread his £45m striker budget so he could bring in both Fullkrug and Luis Guilherme.
Guilherme has barely kicked a ball for the Hammers in nearly 18 months.
As for Fullkrug, a host of injuries have limited the ageing, immobile striker to very few appearances and just three goals.
The problem is all the warning signs were there about Fullkrug before West Ham parted with £27m for him.
That fee was reportedly £10m more than Borussia Dortmund thought they could get given his extensive history of serious injuries.
West Ham tried to hype Fullkrug up in the summer as it was claimed he was fitter than ever. The club’s media team followed the 32-year-old around as he joked and japed with his teammates.
In reality, though, the joke has been on the Hammers yet again.
Sullivan sends strong message to Fullkrug about West Ham exit
There were hopes Fullkrug could end up proving his worth this season after a full pre-season.
But he has spent most of his first 18 months at the club out injured and he is out yet again right now with a return to action not likely until after the November international break.
Fullkrug has been named the worst striker in the Premier League statistically.
Nuno has told West Ham’s board he wants to sign a striker as soon as the January window opens.
A leading Sky Sports journalist has revealed the Hammers plan to sign a forward, midfielder and defender.
Despite being in the treatment room once again, Fullkrug’s agent has revealed he wants to leave West Ham.
Now Sullivan has sent a strong message to Fullkrug about leaving West Ham.
Hammers chief Sullivan is also the club’s de facto director of football ahead of the January window.
He reprised that role after sacking Steidten last January.
West Ham had to sell to buy in the summer but are expected to invest in January to try and ensure Premier League survival.
Key to that will be signing a quality striker.
Fullkrug’s agent says the move hasn’t worked and that West Ham won’t stand in his client’s way for a January exit.
But Sullivan is said to have made his stance crystal clear to Fullkrug, sending him a firm warning that the club won’t be pressured into losing key players for knockdown prices.
Sullivan won’t be pushed into cheap Fullkrug sale
Hammers insider Sean Whetstone is a close confidant of Sullivan and the club’s vice-chair Karren Brady.
Taking to social media, Whetstone has revealed the two conditions Sullivan has set Fullkrug to be able to leave West Ham.
“Niclas Fullkrug will need to lower his wage demands if he wants to return to his native Germany this January,” Whetstone revealed.
“Fullkrug, who has never really settled in London, wants a move but West Ham will want a significant sum in a transfer fee to recoup some money while the German player will need to lower his demands to get his desired move.
“Germany remains his most likely destination.”
Whatever your stance on Sullivan, he is right to demand a decent fee for Fullkrug.
Especially with money needed for a new striker signing.
Fullkrug has been yet another unmitigated disaster at West Ham.
Following hot on the heels of Danny Ings, Gianluca Scamacca and Sebastien Haller, it is clear West Ham must overhaul their recruitment when it comes to signing strikers.
