West Ham striker Niclas Fullkrug could be set to return to the pitch in the coming days, according to Florian Plettenberg.

The German international, who signed for the club in a £27m move from Borussia Dortmund in the summer, has been absent for the best part of three months with an ankle issue which he picked up while on international duty.

It’s also since been reported that the player has not settled in the UK, and is now looking to possibly return to Germany as early as January, with the club set for another significant failure on striker recruitment.

Fullkrug was the alternative to brining in Jhon Duran over the summer, with the Aston Villa player since becoming a key player for the Villians this season and now signing a new long term deal – while Fullkrug has yet to barely feature, let alone make an impact.

An early exit for the player would be seen as a monumental failure from the club, as the hierarchy already deals with the realisation that the appointment of Julen Lopetegui as Head Coach appears to be a disastrous decision also.

It has however been reported by Sky Sports Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg that Fullkrug is not far from a return to action, with hope he’ll be back in action after the international break.

His Achilles tendon injury is persistent, but he is expected to return to the pitch in the coming days and should be back in the squad after the international break.

It’s a situation where once again an injury is shrouded in mystery, with not many expecting Fullkrug to return in the coming weeks. However, whether he’s close and will be back in action sooner, remains to be seen.