In a recent tweet, journalist Ignazio Genuardi mentioned that West Ham United are showing interest in Atalanta playmaker Ruslan Malinovskyi. It has been claimed that the Hammers are eyeing a move for the Ukraine sensation but could face competition from Tottenham Hotspur and Olympique Marseille in pursuit of him.
En manque de temps de jeu avec l’#Atalanta #Bergame, #Malinovskyi reste ciblé par #Marseille, mais l’Ukrainien garde une préférence pour la PL, où Tottenham et West Ham sont notamment intéressés. De plus, le coût d’un tel deal apparaît problématique (15-20 M€). #Mercato #OM
— Ignazio Genuardi (@IgnazioGenuardi) December 8, 2022
Malinovskyi’s Impressive Numbers In Italian Football
Malinovskyi is experiencing a decent campaign in Italian football after putting in some decent displays for Atalanta in the final third. He has managed to score one goal and secure two assists in 14 matches for the Italian club in Serie A.
The 29-year-old has made most of his appearances off the bench which could be why he is only averaging 1.4 shots, 0.9 key passes and 0.5 dribbles per 90 minutes in Serie A. He has even been tidy when distributing the ball in the final third, as evidenced by his pass completion rate of 79.5% in league football (stats via whoscored).
Malinovskyi is under contract at Atalanta until the end of this campaign. Therefore, West Ham has got a good chance at recruiting him on the cheap when the transfer window reopens this January.
What Will Malinovskyi Add To West Ham United Boss David Moyes’ Side?
Malinovskyi can make some clever runs with the ball and is a decent playmaker in and around the opponent’s penalty area. He can shoot the ball with venom from long range but needs to be more consistent with his productivity in front of the opposition goal.
At 29, the Ukraine international has got a wealth of experience under his belt. Malinovskyi is primarily an attacking midfielder but can also operate as a box-to-box midfielder or as a secondary striker if his manager asks him to do so. However, he is still unproven at the highest level which makes him a risky option for the Hammers to consider this winter.
Still, Malinovskyi is on an expiring contract, so West Ham would be wise to engineer a cut-price move for him next month. He is not good enough to be a regular starter at the London Stadium but could play a crucial role in David Moyes‘ squad.
Malinovskyi has what it takes to help West Ham compete in the domestic cup competitions over the next few years. We can expect him to add more depth to Moyes’ squad. Thus, the Hammers should focus on getting a deal done for the Ukraine talent during the January transfer window.
