In an exclusive interview with a Ukrainian television channel, footballua.tv, West Ham United wide player Andriy Yarmolenko provided an update on his future at the London Stadium when he said (transcripted and translated by Football.London), “I feel fine at West Ham, I feel the support of fans.
“I like everything here. It’s not necessary to talk about the level of the English Premier League so at present, I want to stay here.
“As long as there is strength and desire to work, I will continue to play football.
“Dynamo is my home team. I always talk about this club with warmth in my heart. Let’s see what happens in the future, how things develop, but I don’t rule out the option of returning to the Kyiv club.
“If they need me, I’m always happy to help.”
Yarmolenko’s Difficult Season In The English Capital
Yarmolenko has endured a difficult campaign at East London as he has missed a lot of games due to an abductor muscle injury. He has only played in 15 matches for the Hammers this term, playing a total of 827 minutes in the process. The Ukrainian international has scored three goals and provided one assist during that time across all competitions which proves that he can still be a threat even when he is struggling to get enough game time on the field.
The 30-year-old has averaged 1.3 shots, 1.0 key passes and 0.4 dribbles per game in the Premier League this season (stats via whoscored). His numbers don’t make a good reading, but if he can overcome his injury concerns, then David Moyes will be optimistic about getting the best out of him when the football world resumes following the recent halt in action due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Leningrad-born talent has also earned 86 senior caps for the Ukrainian national team, registering 37 goals for his nation thus far. He will once again play a crucial role for his nation in the UEFA European Championship, which has now been rescheduled to kick off in the summer of 2021.
What Does The Ukrainian Winger Offer On The Pitch?
Yarmolenko is a moderately-paced winger who has outstanding ball-control and can dribble past players to either create a goal-scoring chance for himself or pass the ball to one of his teammates if they are in a more advantageous position in the final third. He can cut in from the right to score a few goals from in and around the opposition penalty area and often packs a lot of power with his shot attempts. The Ukrainian wide player is also a terrific crosser of the ball which makes him a potent threat from set-pieces.
Yarmolenko Not Looking To Part Ways With West Ham Just Yet: Huge Boost For Moyes?
Now that Yarmolenko has come out and hinted that he doesn’t want to leave the Hammers this summer, Moyes will be wise to give him some starts if/when the regular season resumes later this year. On his day, the former Dynamo Kyiv dribbler can be a match-winner as evidenced by his goal-scoring display in the 2-0 home win over Manchester United earlier this season. All in all, Yarmolenko’s recent revelation will be a massive boost for the East London outfit ahead of what could be a busy summer for them.
