Borussia Dortmund lay down Niclas Fullkrug demands as West Ham fall short of asking price with initial offer

According to Sky Germany, Borussia Dortmund are now demanding a total of €30 million (£25m/$33m) for their striker. This sum includes €25m (£21m/$27m) upfront, with an additional €5m (£4m/$5m) in potential bonuses. This counter-offer has been made after discussions among key figures at Dortmund, including sports director Lars Ricken, head coach Nuri Sahin and Sebastian Kehl, during their training camp in Bad Ragaz.

West Ham had earlier made an initial offer of approximately €25m (£21m/$27m), including bonuses. Now the decision-makers at the London club must take a call on whether they will raise their bid or further negotiate with Dortmund to bring down the fee.

The proposed contract would see Füllkrug commit to a three-year deal, with an option for an additional year at London Stadium. He will receive a salary similar to his current earnings at Dortmund, estimated to be around €2.5m per year (£2.1m/$2.7m).

In addition to their pursuit of Fullkrug, West Ham are also exploring other options and one such alternative is Aston Villa's young forward Jhon Duran. However, Fullkrug remains their primary target, given the experience and recent form of the German international.