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Yarmolenko feels like an an overpriced ‘luxury’

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By CandH’s top blogger Allen Cummings

Andriy Yarmolenko’s opportunity to showcase his talents on a wider stage will continue when Ukraine take on Sweden in their next Euro 2020 match on Tuesday.

His two goals in the three group games, particularly the stunner against the Netherlands, underline’s it’s been a good tournament for Yarmo so far – and there’s even a possibility if Ukraine and England progress, he could find himself lining up against Gareth Southgate’s men, and West Ham team mate Declan Rice, in a tournament quarter-final.

So have his performances done enough to persuade a possible buyer he would be worth a transfer punt this summer? Or has David Moyes been impressed enough to believe it’s worth holding on to Yarmolenko to see out the final year of his contract with West Ham?

Manuel Pellegrini paid a not insignificant £18m for Yarmolenko in the summer of 2018, at a time the manager was being back to the hilt with a generous spending spree.

But if the stats are anything to go by, that has proved to be an expensive purchase which just hasn’t worked out. Over the three seasons Andriy has been at the London Stadium he’s made a mere 16 first team starts – supplemented with 31 appearances from the subs bench – scoring just seven goals (according to WhoScored).

His time on the pitch in three season equates to just 1814 minutes – which works out at the moment to a cost of £9,922 per minute. All I can say is I’m glad I’m not paying that bill.

Were a club to come in for Yarmolenko this summer there is no way we would get anything like the price we paid for him. So that’s a ‘hit’ we’d have to suffer.

On the other hand if David Moyes should choose to keep him, with a year still remaining on his contract, that would be another reported £5.5m we’d have to be prepared to shell out in wages.

There is no doubt Yarmolenko is a difficult character to read. He can look lazy on the pitch – often comes across as lethargic – sometimes accused of appearing dis-interested – not necessarily Moyes’ preferred traits.

Some might say a ‘luxury’ kind of player who never produces anything very luxurious. He’s also been somewhat prone to injuries in his time with us. There’s a school of thought that suggests he’d still be useful to hang on to – just to beef up the squad. Bring on if the need arises.

But that’s an expensive bench-warmer to contemplate. Maybe that £5.5m would be better invested in a player we could develop for the future.

In truth Moyes has probably already made up his mind on Yarmolenko’s future. There won’t be anything he’s seen or likely to see during the Euro’s that he doesn’t already know about the player.

In my opinion if we can get somewhere in the region of £5m for a peripheral figure, and lose that £115,000 per week salary from the balance sheet, surely that would make sense!

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Hugh Southon is a lifelong Iron and the founding editor of ClaretandHugh. He is a national newspaper journalist of many years experience and was Bobby Moore's 'ghost' writer during the great man's lifetime. He describes ClaretandHugh as "the Hammers daily newspaper!"

Follow on Twitter @hughsouthon

9 comments

  • blimey! says:

    Yarmalenko is hardly a high earner by Premiership standards. If you want to look at value for money, or luxury players, consider:
    Mesut Ozil: £350kpw, £18.2mil per season
    David DeGea £375kpw for a back-up keeper
    Anthony Martial £250kpw (4 goals)
    Willian £200kpw (1 goal)

    when you get down to Yarmolenkos wage bracket, there’s:
    Alex Ox_Chamberlain , Danny Van de Beek, Tim Bakayoko and Yerry Mina and Naby Keita……

    Yarmo looks value by comparison if only for his goal that beat Chelsea…..

  • HH says:

    “£9,922 per minute. All I can say is I’m glad I’m not paying that bill”. I’ve seen you grubbing around Debden ALDI Allen, and without wishing to sound rude you don’t look like you earn that a year.

  • Keithsickofexcuses says:

    Some Players play well for their country, but never reproduce it for their club. What you have to ask yourself, if he is so classy why hasn’t he proved it for us, no matter the position he has been played in. He hasn’t scored enough goals, nor does he look dangerous. He is easily injured. Ease the wage bill and say goodbye.

  • Simon chilvers says:

    Its easy to say get rid all the time but sometimes you have to look at the club and how the player fits….. His record for Ukraine is Top level… he can’t be a luxury that doesn’t provide luxury moments if he has the goal scoring record equal nearly to that of Andrei Shevchenko or do we deem him rubbish as well?
    On the basis we aren’t going to get more than about £3m for him from anywhere other than a Ukrainian club, for me he’s a keeper, primarily for the european games that will be just a little slower and more tactical and will suit him.
    Also, whilst the direct endeavour and running of Bowen is better suited to the premier league perhaps….there have been times, in games where teams sit back against us where we looked blunt. He may not have the outright pace Yarmo but he is tricky and can open people up…
    Plus i’d imagine there’s a fair bit he could teach Bowen & Benrahma as well…
    The pellegrini spending spree failed miserably, BUT, we shouldn’t jump on the bandwagon of throwing out all the players he brought in as well

    • HH says:

      Shevchenko was Rubbish in the UK and at £120k a week Yarmo’s a luxury we can ill afford

  • Che says:

    If were likely to remain injury free then there might be a case for keeping him given out Europa league campaign.

    His injury record tips the balance for me. Get rid if possible and reinvest.

    • maschalagnia says:

      100% I was going to say the same thing.

    • DerisFin says:

      Another perspective. Classy and lethal winger who has been victim of mis-possession. Using him in wrong way is not players fault. Long track record in Champions League and Ukraine national teams second best goalscorer. Expecting him to be two-way workhorse is just waste of time. Use him right or get rid of him.

      I think we can remember games when we lacked creative against deep-lying defences. That’s is the time to use Yarmo imo.

      Coyi! Massive season ahead 🙂

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