Germany Coach Jürgen Klopp Reportedly Recalls Niclas Füllkrug

National team manager Jürgen Klopp is poised to recall striker Niclas Füllkrug for the upcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures against Serbia and the Netherlands. The official roster announcement is scheduled to take place on Thursday at 11:30 a.m.

Over the previous four international matches, Klopp utilized the games as a testing ground to evaluate various candidates for the national squad. During those fixtures, the team's central attackers failed to score a single goal, prompting growing calls from supporters and analysts for Füllkrug to return to the lineup given his strong performances in the Bundesliga.

According to reports from Sky, the manager has monitored the forward closely and decided to include him in the squad. Previously, Klopp had publicly expressed doubts concerning the 33-year-old player's age, but the striker's impressive scoring record appears to have dispelled those concerns.

Alongside Füllkrug, other forwards expected to feature in the squad include Younes Ebnoutalib of Eintracht Frankfurt and Kai Havertz of Arsenal. It remains uncertain whether a fourth central striker will be added to the roster.

Klopp intends to reduce the overall size of the team moving forward. The previous squad notably featured 44 players, a number that will be significantly trimmed down as the manager finalizes his selection for the upcoming fixtures.

In other German soccer news, Heidenheim manager Frank Schmidt announced he will step down at the end of the season after nearly two decades in charge. Schmidt, the longest-serving coach in German professional soccer, guided his hometown club from the fourth tier all the way to the Bundesliga in 2023.

Heidenheim confirmed that Schmidt informed CEO Holger Sanwald of his decision not to extend his expiring contract after nearly twenty years at the helm. The club currently plays in Germany's second division following relegation in May, and Schmidt stated his intention to take a break from coaching this summer after giving his all for the remainder of the campaign.