Successful as a joker
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Striker Niclas Füllkrug firmly expects to be part of the German selection at the World Cup in the summer. In addition to his national team ambitions, the 32-year-old spoke on the TV channel “Sky” about the reasons for his move to AC Milan.
“There’s been a lot going on. Not just in the last few weeks, but also in the last year and a half. It wasn’t always easy, sometimes rocky, but in the end it all worked out for the better. I’m super happy to be here at AC Milan now, I feel very comfortable in the colors and I feel comfortable on the pitch, in the stadium, here on the training ground and that’s a very, very good sign. It feels like the right place for me,” said the former Bremer, who after the first six bets a hit is recorded.
“It’s a huge club and the club has a lot of scope. The club has a lot of power. I like something like that, it feels great, it feels special to wear this jersey. That’s why I’m super grateful to be here, to have had the trust, even though things weren’t going well for me. And that’s why I’m happy, I enjoy every day here at AC Milan,” said Füllkrug.
The German striker had previously been sidelined at West Ham United and his market value had halved since the transfer. His contract in London runs until 2028, although Milan has a purchase option. “After the move to West Ham, which was more of a mental decision and for me it was more about looking for a new challenge, experiencing something new, perhaps leaving the Bundesliga a bit behind me – at least for the moment – taking on a new challenge and playing abroad again, this time it was very important for me that my gut feeling, my heart, felt the right thing from the start. Milan got in touch with me very, very early. I fit in quite well emotionally and in terms of football the team.”
In the list of the most valuable center forwards in Germany, Füllkrug shares 12th place with Leeds professional Lukas Nmecha with a market value of 8 million euros. Italian media were divided on the purchase option for Füllkrug and reported amounts between 5 million and 13 million euros.
Füllkrug on role in the national team: “I feel like an integral part”
Füllkrug also wants to secure his place at the World Cup in Italy. The striker expects to wear the eagle on his chest at tournaments in Canada, Mexico and the USA this summer. “The contact with Julian Nagelsmann is always there. That’s important. The role I had at the last European Championship was very clear. Of course, it was also a bit tailored to my character, to the energy that I can give. I believe that it can be like that again, but in the end I’m concentrating on what’s here at Milan. The national coach knows what to expect from me,” said the 24-time national player.
The former Bundesliga professional came as a substitute five times in his first six appearances for Milan – and didn’t lose any of these games. In the 1-0 win against Lecce, he scored the winning goal shortly after coming on as a substitute.
“I think that this role, which I also fulfilled at the European Championships, was something you could see in me in the first games here at Milan. There was always a jolt going through the team, through the atmosphere in the stadium, when I came on as a substitute and then you have a different team in the penalty area than before. I can do this role. I concentrate on what I can influence. That is my performance here at the club and I try to do my best. And in the end we will have a great national team I’m firmly convinced that we’ll be able to compete in the World Cup and we’ll see who we are in the end. But I usually feel like I’m an integral part of the team.
