West Ham United snapped up Ukrainian star Andriy Yarmolenko this summer.
Andriy Yarmolenko hasn’t exactly enjoyed the best start to his West Ham United career, and now former internationals are already predicting a move back to Dynamo Kiev.
Yarmolenko, 28, was seen as a big signing for West Ham this summer, as they forked out £17.5million to sign him as well as £100,000-a-week in wages (The Times).
The Ukrainian wide man had struggled to make a real impact in his one season with Borussia Dortmund, but a stunning record with Dynamo Kiev before that led fans to feel that he could still be a top signing.
So far though, Yarmolenko has been something of a disappointment in East London, as he has yet to make a single league start under Manuel Pellegrini, and his four substitute appearances have amounted to just 107 minutes of action.
Yarmolenko may take a little time to settle, but having spent a considerable fee on him and given him a huge contract, West Ham may have expected a little more out of the wide man.
Now, notable figures back in his native Ukraine have been discussing Yarmolenko’s signature, with ex-Ukraine ace Gennady Orbu and former USSR international Stefan Reshko both predicting moves back to Dynamo Kiev whilst speaking to Expres in Ukraine.
“Everything points to the fact that he will soon return to Dynamo Kyiv, and we will note the fiasco of his foreign career,” said Orbu. “It is unlikely that Yarmolenko will be able to make a bright career in England. Unfortunately, he does not even reach West Ham’s level, and they are currently in last place in the Premier League table. The Londoners are sorry that they paid Borussia Dortmund as much as €20m.”
“I also believe Yarmolenko will have to return home,” added Reshko. “However, the chance to remain in the English team is still there. West Ham should put him in the first team – after all, they spent big money on him. If Andriy still plays on the bench, and West Ham continue to be bottom of the table, they will get rid of him.”
With 137 goals in 341 games for Dynamo, Yarmolenko is one of their greatest ever players, and they would no doubt love to take him back one day to really make a statement to rivals Shakhtar Donetsk.
However, the winger is just months into his time at West Ham and should be given a chance to show that he can be a Premier League success, even if Orbu and Reshko feel that he will be sold by West Ham soon enough and flogged back to Dynamo, with £17.5million allegedly overpaying for the winger right now.
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