Niclas Fullkrug accepts the notion that he is a late bloomer, but he also likes to highlight how experience is more important to his game than youth.
The 31-year-old has joined West Ham from Borussia Dortmund for a fee of £27m, which also includes potential add-ons.
Less than 12 months ago, Fullkrug joined Dortmund from Werder Bremen, where he had flourished in the previous two seasons.
While Fullkrug is a technically limited striker, he has found a way to be effective thanks to his stature and a good eye for goal-scoring opportunities in the box.
At a time when pure number nines are rare, he has attracted many suitors throughout the past few years and was called up to the Germany national team for the first time before the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Fullkrug was also part of Germany’s recent Euro 2024 campaign and Julian Nagelsmann used him as a substitute for Kai Havertz during the second half of games.
But though he might not always get the job done, fans tend to connect with Fullkrug easily, which – in part – stems from his down-to-earth personality.
He has earned the nickname ‘Gap’ because of his missing central incisor.
Other footballers would have replaced the tooth with an implant, but Fullkrug decided to carry the gap with a sense of carefreeness.
When he formed a partnership with fellow striker Marvin Ducksch for Werder Bremen, the duo dared to call themselves ‘the ugly birds’.
Such little nuggets, coupled with the fact Fullkrug is a late bloomer who somehow became an internationally recognised striker, have helped his standing in Germany and beyond tremendously.
