Three years after leaving the club, Niclas Füllkrug has returned to the Weserstadion. Werder Bremen confirmed on Tuesday that the Germany international has joined on a one-year loan from West Ham United. According to media reports, the deal does not include an option to buy and Werder will not pay a loan fee. Füllkrug has also agreed to take a pay cut to make the move possible.
“I’ve never made any secret of the fact that Werder is a very special club for me,” Füllkrug said following his return. The striker also confirmed that he had accepted a financial sacrifice in order to rejoin the club. His contract with West Ham runs until 2028.
Werder were searching for a proven centre-forward
From a sporting perspective, Füllkrug’s return brings things full circle. He is not a direct replacement for one particular summer departure, but Werder have been searching for a convincing solution at centre-forward ever since Marvin Ducksch left for Birmingham City in August 2025. Victor Boniface’s loan spell proved unsuccessful: the Nigerian failed to score in eleven Bundesliga appearances, underwent knee surgery during the winter and returned to Bayer Leverkusen at the end of the season. Jovan Milošević, who arrived on loan in January, was also only a short-term solution.
Werder have already signed Swiss World Cup player Cedric Itten on a free transfer from Fortuna Düsseldorf ahead of the new campaign. The 29-year-old scored 15 goals in the 2. Bundesliga last season, but Bremen still wanted to add another experienced striker. Keke Topp, meanwhile, continues his rehabilitation after suffering a cruciate ligament injury in March. Füllkrug is therefore expected to assume an important role immediately, while also competing with Itten for the starting berth up front.
From Bremen to the Champions League final
Füllkrug’s connection with Werder goes back many years. Born in Hanover, he joined Bremen as a youngster and made his breakthrough into professional football at the club. After spells with Greuther Fürth, 1. FC Nürnberg and Hannover 96, he returned to the Weserstadion in 2019. His definitive breakthrough came following Werder’s relegation from the Bundesliga: in the 2021/22 season he scored 19 goals in the second tier, while strike partner Ducksch contributed 21. Together, they fired Bremen back into the Bundesliga.
A year later came the high point of Füllkrug’s time at Werder. With 16 goals, he finished as the Bundesliga’s joint top scorer alongside Christopher Nkunku. In the summer of 2023, he moved to Borussia Dortmund, where he scored 15 goals in 43 competitive appearances during his only season and started the Champions League final against Real Madrid.
Two difficult years abroad
After just one year in Dortmund, Füllkrug moved on to West Ham United. His time in England was repeatedly disrupted by injuries, however. Before heading out on loan to Italy, the physically imposing striker managed only three goals in 29 competitive appearances for West Ham. In January 2026, he joined AC Milan, where he scored just once in 20 appearances.
Now the club where his career began is giving him the opportunity to make a fresh start. In Bremen, the 24-cap Germany international, who has scored 14 goals for his country, returns to familiar surroundings and to a team in need of exactly the kind of penalty-box presence that defined Füllkrug at his best.
