Milan sign Fullkrug on loan from West Ham as shock FIGC exemption handed to Allegri

AC Milan have reached an agreement with West Ham United for the transfer of Niclas Fullkrug on a loan deal.

The Rossoneri will take the 32-year-old on a free loan until the end of the season and will cover his full salary. The agreement also includes an option to buy in the summer.

West Ham have given their final approval to the proposal, clearing the way for the move after negotiations between the two clubs progressed rapidly in recent days.

Fullkrug is expected to arrive in Milan later today and will undergo medical checks once the final administrative details are completed.

Thanks to a special exemption granted by the Italian Football Federation, Milan will be able to register the striker immediately when the winter transfer window opens.

That decision will allow Massimiliano Allegri to include Fullkrug in the squad for the Serie A trip to Cagliari on January 2, the opening day of the window.

The FIGC exemption applies only to the Cagliari-Milan fixture and was approved to avoid disadvantaging the two clubs compared to the rest of the league, who play from January 3 onwards.

Milan’s move for a striker has been accelerated by their need for additional attacking options, with Allegri keen to add a player who offers different physical and tactical qualities.

Fullkrug fits that profile as a traditional centre-forward, something Milan’s squad has lacked at key moments this season.

He enjoyed his breakthrough Bundesliga campaign in 2021-22, scoring 19 goals as Werder Bremen secured promotion, and followed it with another prolific season in the top flight.

Those performances earned him a move to Borussia Dortmund, where he registered 15 goals and 10 assists in all competitions.

Fullkrug joined West Ham United from Dortmund in August 2024 but struggled to make a consistent impact in the Premier League.

Injuries and fitness issues limited his involvement, and he bagged just three goals and two assists during his time in London.

The German international has also fallen out of the national team picture, having not been selected since September.

If the move proves successful, the option to buy allows Milan to make the transfer permanent in the summer.