Rumour mill alert: Could Füllkrug be set for a Bundesliga return?

Niclas Füllkrug

SV Werder Bremen appear to have good reason to hope that striker Niclas Füllkrug, who is currently on loan from West Ham United to AC Milan, will return.

According to Bild, the Bundesliga club has a "great opportunity" to bring the 33-year-old striker back to Germany during the upcoming summer transfer window.

Following the end of his loan spell at AC Milan, Füllkrug is returning to his parent club, West Ham United, where his contract runs until the end of June 2028. The deal reportedly carries no release clause.

Nevertheless, he is unlikely to stay in London: the Hammers were relegated to the second tier after finishing 18th in the Premier League and may struggle to afford the striker's estimated €4.5 million annual salary. Moreover, Füllkrug never quite met expectations during his time at West Ham.

As a result, West Ham may settle for a modest transfer fee or even release the 33-year-old on a free transfer, provided they receive a severance payment to offset his salary.

Füllkrug

Füllkrug is reportedly weighing up a return to Germany.

That scenario would hand Werder Bremen a prime chance to secure the striker's services for next season. The club had already targeted a move in the winter window, only for talks to stall over the transfer fee. Füllkrug is said to be open to a Bundesliga return, partly because he wishes to be closer to his hometown of Hanover.

Although several MLS clubs are interested, the striker prefers a return to his homeland.

Füllkrug previously wore the Werder shirt between 2008 and 2023, with breaks for loan spells, scoring 19 goals and providing 16 assists in 124 competitive matches for the club.