West Ham striker Niclas Füllkrug is close to returning to action after missing the last ten matches with a hamstring injury. 

Füllkrug has had a difficult first season at West Ham United so far, he has failed to make any real impact in East London, missing over 20 matches with achillies and hamstring injuries.

The 32-year-old arrived in the summer with high expectations after a great season with Borussia Dortmund, helping them to the Champions League final and impressing for Germany in Euro 2024.

The former Werder Bremen striker has made just three starts and 11 appearances in all competitions in a season destroyed by injuries. He hasn’t appeared for West Ham first team since January but he could soon be returning. It looks like he could even be set to return to the squad for the Hammers’ next match away at Wolves on April 1st.

In a recent interview with Sky Germany Füllkrug said: “I am on a good path. I am back in team training. I am being led slowly, it was a lengthy injury.”

Graham Potter needs to make sure he doesn’t rush the German International back too quickly, use the rest of this season to get him up to shape to hopefully become the important first-team player we all thought he’d ne for the 25/26 campaign.

Füllkrug’s talent is undeniable, he is a brilliant goal scorer and striker and we’ve even seen that at times in his very limited minutes with the Hammers. There is no chance we can rely on the big German to be our main man next season, however, with Danny Ings all but certainly leaving and Michail Antonio also likely to depart, Füllkrug’s role as back-up to whoever Potter choses to bring in will be very important.