Niclas Fullkrug spoke to the media in a press conference to introduce himself as the newest AC Milan striker.
Do you think you have arrived at the right team at the right time?
“Yes, I think the team I’ve joined already has enormous quality. It’s a healthy, united group, with energy at extremely high levels. It almost scared me how strong this energy was after we won in Cagliari, it’s very telling. With my character, I think I can fit in very well and contribute to this positivity, helping the team to the best of my abilities. It’s an ideal moment for my arrival at Milan.”
Settling in and the No. 9 shirt:
“The team helped me a lot with settling in. It’s a truly positive group, with great unity. My teammates welcomed me very well. It was easy for me to integrate, and I was immediately able to give my best because I felt comfortable right away. The No. 9 for me is synonymous with goals. I haven’t chosen it often in the past, I only wore it with the German national team. I don’t have a particular idol, but I know the history of the No. 9 here at Milan. I hope I can live up to the weight of this shirt.”
What is it like to make your debut at San Siro?
“Two years ago I played at San Siro with Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League. That was my first time there, but playing here with the Milan shirt is different. This club has a magical aura, playing for Milan at San Siro is magic. I’m grateful for this opportunity. The fans gave me a wonderful first night. I would have liked to score the winning goal, it would have been the perfect debut. Unfortunately we only take home one point, but there will be other great nights, I have no doubts about that.”
What can you give to Milan?
“I watched several matches before arriving. I’ve followed Serie A for years out of interest. When you watch Serie A, you obviously also watch Milan. I was aware of how this team plays and how I could help them. I’m different from the other strikers in the squad. The quality in our attacking department is enormous, with Leão, Pulisic, and Nkunku. I think I can bring physical presence and the ability to occupy the penalty area. I’ll help the team in these situations. In these first two matches I’ve understood that I’ll have to battle with defenders, and I’m ready to sacrifice myself for the team, even in uncomfortable duels.”
Has Allegri thought about a 4-3-3 with you, Leão, and Pulisic?
“First of all, I have to clarify that what the coach says stays between us, I can’t respond to that. The coach will put on the pitch the team with the highest probability of winning. Allegri has enormous experience and can adapt the system based on the players. What matters is that the team wins, not the individual. In 20–30 minutes you can sometimes have a bigger impact than someone who starts the match. Playing with three up front can be an option. On Sunday we want a positive result to stay near the top.”
On Zlatan Ibrahimović:
“I had the pleasure of meeting him and speaking with him. I watched him play a lot when I was younger, he was truly a complete striker. I know him very well, and he also knows what kind of player I am. He gave me some advice and told me what he expects from me. I hope I can deliver everything on the pitch as I have in recent years of my career, and I hope my performances will be appreciated here as well.”
Who impressed you most among your new teammates? Why Italy and not Germany?
“We have some truly outstanding players. With Modrić we have a player of immense success and experience. I played the Champions League final against Real Madrid a year and a half ago, against Luka. He is the most important Croatian player in football history, with extraordinary quality in both phases. Being able to play with him really strikes me. We have many other high-level players. I think I can develop good chemistry with the wingers for their crosses, and with Nkunku, Pulisic, and Leão we can all benefit from each other. Italy has always held a special place in my mind, I’ve always wondered if it was the right place for me. Klose, Bierhoff, and Völler played here. I spoke with Rudi, he always speaks well about Serie A. Bierhoff told me I will succeed here. I hope I fit well with Milan’s characteristics, we like to keep possession and create many chances. It’s a good place for me, the league suits me. Italy, for lifestyle and for Milan, was impossible to turn down. I’m grateful that someone trusts me and believes I can help the team.”
Fourth place or the Scudetto as the objective? And was Ostigård’s challenge on you a foul yesterday? Fullkrug responded:
“I think it’s right to talk about the objective of fourth place, because last year it was missed. Milan, given its history, must be in the Champions League. I like to focus on things I can influence, anything further away I don’t consider. I want to win the next match by helping the team. If we get three points, we’re three points closer to the final objective. What happens at the end of the season, we’ll see. The more matches we win, the greater our chances of ending the season with a big success. Yesterday there were a couple of difficult situations for the referee. Without wanting to accuse him, the decisions went a bit against us. I felt the opponent’s foot on my foot, I was sure there was a penalty for us or at least that the referee should go to VAR. But we move on. We had chances to turn the match around, we can’t blame the referee, even though there were some negative episodes for us.”
What didn’t work at West Ham? What goal target have you set yourself?
“With Werder, Borussia Dortmund, and the national team, over those three or four years things went extremely well. I played regularly, scored goals, and provided assists. That’s the level I want to return to. I want to be available, with my goals and my performances. West Ham wasn’t an easy place. It was a huge change, and behind me I had a very long season of 57 matches. In pre-season I couldn’t prepare properly because of the Euros. I moved straight to West Ham without being able to prepare physically. In England things didn’t work out for me. Now I hope to turn the page. I feel fresh and fit. I felt very good in these first two matches. Milan’s medical staff welcomed me very well and gave me an excellent training program. The sensations are very positive, I hope they continue like this, because that will give me confidence to score goals. How many, I don’t know. If the ball arrives in the box, I’ll try to put it in. At the end of the season we’ll see how many, but I hope to score some important goals.”
Were you ever close to Milan in the past?
“Close is probably an exaggeration. There were contacts, but saying I was close would be too much. Milan has always been an important club for me. I first became aware of Milan in 2003, in the Champions League final against Juventus. I was nine years old, very young. Then I continued to watch many of their Champions League matches. Two years ago I played here against Milan and realized it’s a special club. I told myself that if the opportunity ever came to join, I would take it, and I’m very happy to be here.”
What is it like to train with Allegri? Could Milan be the club of your definitive breakthrough?
“I don’t know, but Milan can certainly be what I need right now, and they also need me right now. A place that gives me confidence as a true No. 9, as a reference point up front. Being a No. 9 is a somewhat thankless role, but I feel comfortable in it. It’s a great moment for both me and Milan, we found each other at the right time.”
Do you hope to stay at Milan? Do you believe in the World Cup?
“Yes, of course. I came here and didn’t go elsewhere because Milan convinced me and I wanted to come here. I feel completely at ease. It’s a team with great emotional value, a very loved club. I want to play for prestigious teams, for me it’s positive pressure to manage, and I hope to continue like this in the future. It’s great to play for a successful team that’s never satisfied with a draw. In many matches we’re favorites and we must live up to that, it takes a lot of work, but this is a team that wants to take on that role and I feel suited to it. With the national team I’ve had good performances, but I lost some ground and had to turn down call-ups due to injuries. I hope to return to being regularly available so I can continue from where I left off. I have a very high goal ratio with the national team, I love Germany, and it’s a fundamental objective for me.”
Did you already know Milan? And again on Bierhoff:
“I’ve seen Milan many times in the past. I certainly don’t need to do sightseeing here, I’m here to score goals and be successful, just as Bierhoff rightly was. He called me and told me about Milan, the city, the team, and the magic of playing for Milan, the constant desire to play at San Siro and make the fans proud. To win, you need goals from the strikers, we all need to score more. Rafa and Chris have been excellent so far, and it doesn’t hurt to have other attackers who can score a lot as well.”
If you won the second star with Milan, would you cover the gap near your incisors with a gold tooth? Fullkrug replied:
“No,” he laughs. “It’s part of me. Some people have a prominent nose, I have this gap. It’s part of my identity, it doesn’t bother me. That gap will stay, regardless of how the season ends."
