It can be hard for anyone to lead the line and be expected to become the main goalscorer for a team, especially in the Premier League.

For teams like West Ham United, it feels like they've spent longer than most waiting for a truly threatening and, crucially, consistent centre-forward. They've tried plenty, but few have clicked for prolonged periods.

Of course, at present, they can turn to the likes of Jarrod Bowen as a reliable and prolific creator coming in off the right, and elsewhere in recent times, they found joy turning Michail Antonio into their star striker for a decent spell.

West Ham's Forgotten Man

While West Ham have had plenty of talismanic talents over the past two decades, many still believe that their lack of a reliable go-to man up top for so long is part of the reason behind their steady slump towards relegation last term.

One of the players fans hoped could have turned their offensive fortunes around was former Borussia Dortmund forward Niclas Fullkrug, whose time with the Hammers was heavily hampered by injuries, struggling to perform in an admittedly struggling side, loan spells and more; but now, the towering target man looks to have got his career back on track.

The German international, who also played an impressive role at the most recent Euros back in 2024, is now out front in the race for the 'Torjagerkanone' award - Bundesliga's golden boot award.

Fullkrug, 33, is currently beating out the likes of Patrick Schick, Michael Olise, and even this year's Ballon d’Or winner, Harry Kane.

The classic number nine has hit nine goals in nine games, with one of the best shot conversion rates in the league. For context, he only managed five goal contributions in the Premier League during his two years at the London club.

Fullkrug's Route Back to the Top

Now plying his trade at the sharp end of a resurgent Werder Bremen side, Fullkrug seems to be enjoying an equally promising upturn at his boyhood club, having returned there after 12 years this season.

His height, strength and power have all come in handy in helping 'The River Islanders' climb to sixth in the table, but the main man has also found himself the central character in plenty of headlines besides his output on the pitch.

In the wake of a narrow and tense defeat to Stuttgart this past weekend, the Hanover-born bagsman took issue with one reporter fielding questions about his inclusion in Jurgen Klopp's latest Germany selection ahead of the upcoming international break.

Speaking with ZDF’s 'Aktuelles Sportstudio', Fullkrug was quick to pull up the reporter, simply responding: "A little respect. We just lost a game. That's not in my head right now."

Nevertheless, a lot of eyes are understandably back on the big centre-forward, and it'll be interesting to see just how much of a part he could be set to play back in the shirt for his country. The ex-Liverpool manager can't ignore the stats, but how much he truly fancies him in competitive squads moving forward is up for debate.

Whether or not he keeps up his impressive record this campaign also remains to be seen, too; you can be sure England captain Kane will have plenty to say about that over the coming weeks and months. Still, to have gone from another experiment, quickly bought and sold by Sullivan, Gold, Kretínsky and co., it just goes to show that while not everyone makes it in the Premier League, it doesn't mean they aren't capable of doing it on the big stage.