By Conor Hogan

Former West Ham striker Niclas Füllkrug has suffered an injury just weeks into his loan spell at AC Milan.

The German forward, who departed London Stadium earlier this month, was forced off after 60 minutes of Milan’s clash with Fiorentina in Florence on Sunday.

The 32-year-old endured a frustrating and injury-ridden spell in East London, spending more time on the treatment table than on the pitch. Every time Füllkrug appeared to build momentum, another setback seemed to follow.

In 18 months with the Hammers, he managed just 29 appearances, averaging only 44 minutes per game — a damning statistic for a player signed to lead the line.

Since moving to Italy, Füllkrug has featured three times for Milan, making substitute appearances against Cagliari and Genoa before earning his first start under Massimiliano Allegri against Fiorentina.

According to reports in Italy, the striker suffered a fractured toe in that match and is expected to miss Thursday’s Serie A fixture against Cesc Fàbregas’ Como.

Initial fears suggested he could be sidelined for several weeks, though more recent updates indicate the injury may not be as severe as first thought – although Füllkrug was sometimes the subject of similar reports at West Ham, where the timeline for recovery turned out to be misleading.

Still, the episode underlines exactly why Füllkrug proved such a risky option for West Ham.

He always came across as a good professional and a likeable character, and there were occasional glimpses of the quality that made him a German international. But his injury record alone made him an unsustainable solution — especially for a club in turmoil and desperate for reliability up front.

While it is never good to see any player injured, some West Ham supporters may feel a grim sense of vindication. So often, players leave London Stadium and suddenly rediscover their form and fitness elsewhere. For Füllkrug, despite the change of scenery, it appears to be business as usual.