Niclas Füllkrug rejoins Werder Bremen on season-long loan from West Ham
Werder Bremen have signed 33-year-old striker Niclas Füllkrug on a one-year loan from relegated West Ham United, completing the deal without a purchase option after he accepted a wage reduction.
Return to the Weserstadion
Werder Bremen confirmed the signing of striker Niclas Füllkrug on Tuesday following a completed medical check. The 33-year-old forward joins the Bundesliga club on a season-long loan from English side West Ham United without an option to buy. The move marks Füllkrug's third spell in Bremen, where he began his professional career 14 years ago and later played between 2019 and 2023. Füllkrug agreed to take a wage reduction to facilitate the transfer, with reports indicating his salary in England stood at around two million euros net. A permanent transfer was ruled out due to West Ham's asking price of approximately five million euros, which also halted earlier talks with Italian clubs.
I have never made a secret of the fact that Werder is a very special club for me. That is why I was also willing to make financial concessions so that the loan could happen. It was important to me to play for Werder again. I really fancy Bremen and the Bundesliga.
Reinforcing the offensive line
Bremen officials moved quickly to bring Füllkrug back after completing a separate one-year loan deal for forward Eren Dinkci from SC Freiburg on Monday. Sporting director Peter Niemeyer described Füllkrug as an immediate reinforcement for the attack following a quiet offensive stretch. The club is counting on his familiarity with the squad and the domestic league to provide an immediate scoring threat.
We are very pleased that we were able to implement the transfer of Niclas. Fülle has made a clear commitment to Werder. Niclas knows the Bundesliga and is an immediate help for us in any case. We know that the last two years have not gone quite as he imagined, but we are convinced that he will successfully continue his career at Werder.
- Rejoins Werder Bremen after leaving Hannover 96
- Scores 19 goals in 2. Bundesliga to help Werder Bremen secure promotion
- Transfers to Borussia Dortmund for an estimated fee of 15 million euros
- Moves to West Ham United for a reported fee of 27 million pounds
- Joins AC Milan on a six-month loan deal
- Completes medical and rejoins Werder Bremen on a season-long loan
Tactical role under Daniel Thioune
Head coach Daniel Thioune outlined the qualities Füllkrug brings to Bremen's front line, citing his physical presence and aerial ability. Thioune pointed out that the forward provides a target for holding up possession while serving as a senior presence in the dressing room. Across his earlier tenures at the Weserstadion, Füllkrug registered 49 goals in 124 competitive matches, including 19 goals during the 2021/22 promotion campaign and 16 goals to finish as the joint top scorer in the Bundesliga the following season.
Niclas is a classic goalscorer, is physically strong, very good in the air, technically good and can hold up the ball. He will enrich our game in any case. In addition, he is an absolute leading player who leads the way on and off the pitch.
Difficult years in England and Italy
Füllkrug's return follows a turbulent two-year sequence across European leagues. In August 2023, he departed Bremen for Borussia Dortmund for a reported fee of around 15 million euros, before transferring to West Ham United in August 2024 for 27 million pounds (27 million euros). His time in London was interrupted by recurring injuries, yielding three goals in 11 Premier League starts before West Ham suffered relegation to the Championship. In January 2026, Füllkrug joined AC Milan on a six-month loan, scoring one goal in 20 appearances. Having earned 24 caps for Germany after debuting at age 29 before the 2022 World Cup, he was not selected for the 2026 World Cup tournament.
