West Ham’s modest revival under Nuno Espírito Santo — one defeat in their last six Premier League outings — has done little to mask the club’s deeper problems.

Sitting 18th, the Hammers remain in a relegation dogfight, with multiple players underperforming.

Summer signings like Mads Hermansen have flopped, while others such as Max Kilman and James Ward-Prowse have struggled to hit the heights expected.

Callum Wilson is showing glimpses of form, but the glaring issue has been up front: Niclas Füllkrug. The German striker, who scored just three goals in his first season at the London Stadium, has yet to find the net this term, and is set to leave in the coming weeks.

Now, a significant hurdle has emerged in his proposed January exit.

Fullkrug Must Take Pay Cut

According to sources close to the club, a move to the Bundesliga — with former Frankfurt director Pirmin Schwegler reportedly keen on bringing Füllkrug to VfL Wolfsburg — is complicated by two key issues.

Firstly, Schwegler’s appointment at Wolfsburg has yet to be formally finalised, meaning no transfer negotiations can officially proceed.

More importantly, Wolfsburg cannot meet Füllkrug’s substantial West Ham wages, which exceed £90,000 per week.

Any potential deal would require the striker to take a significant pay cut, or for West Ham to subsidise part of his salary. A senior club insider told Claret & Hugh that the German striker “would have to take a pay cut if he wants to leave.”

So far, no club has offered a deal that covers the full amount of Füllkrug’s salary, leaving his future in limbo.

While a loan move remains a possibility, it’s clear that financial considerations will be decisive in whether the striker finally exits the London Stadium this January.

For West Ham, the delay may be frustrating, but it also creates breathing room to explore alternative solutions to their long-standing goalscoring issues.

West Ham may have steadied themselves under Nuno Espírito Santo, suffering just a single defeat across their last six league fixtures, but their overall situation remains precarious.

The Hammers are still entrenched in the bottom three, and the threat of relegation is far from easing.

While defensive fragility has cost them points, the biggest concern lies in attack. With just 17 goals scored in 15 Premier League games, West Ham have lacked any consistent cutting edge. Reinforcements in forward positions are viewed as essential heading into the January window.

Nuno’s recruitment team have cast the net wide, with players such as Corinthians hotshot Luís Alberto — subject of an early enquiry — as well as Facundo Dju and AC Milan forward Santiago Giménez all monitored as potential additions.

But before the club can add a new No. 9, one internal issue looks set to be resolved — and it could clear both space and wages for a much-needed signing.

Füllkrug Will “100%” Leave West Ham in January

According to Claret & Hugh, senior sources inside the club have confirmed that Niclas Füllkrug is “100%” heading for the exit once the winter window opens.

A temporary move is on the cards, with the deal expected to be a loan with an option to buy — rather than a mandatory purchase — and at a far lower figure than West Ham initially hoped.

The club were originally determined not to take a loss on the £27m they paid Borussia Dortmund, but the situation has shifted to the point where West Ham now simply want the striker out as quickly as possible.

The outlet reports that two Bundesliga sides are already in active discussions, while AC Milan have also expressed interest.

One source told them: “It will be a loan with an option. He will go 100%. West Ham will lose a fortune. AC may take him on loan if Giménez goes, but it’s no more than a 10% chance.”

A separate senior figure previously indicated that Füllkrug would have to agree to a wage reduction if he wished to secure a move, as no club so far has been willing to match his salary — a package believed to exceed £90,000 per week.

The same source reiterated that despite a flurry of speculation, West Ham have not yet submitted any formal bids for a striker.

Still, should Füllkrug depart — even at a financial loss — it will free up a substantial chunk of wages and open a spot in Nuno’s squad, making space for the attacking reinforcements the team desperately needs.