Frank McAvennie: West Ham should sell Andriy Yarmolenko
We’re delighted to welcome former West Ham United striker Frank McAvennie as our exclusive columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at the London Stadium…
Frank McAvennie believes West Ham should look to sell Andriy Yarmolenko this summer if he cannot be guaranteed regular first-team football.
The 31-year-old is currently starring at Euro 2020 for Ukraine, scoring in both of their group games so far.
However, the winger was a peripheral figure in West Ham’s successful march to the Europa League berths last season, making just 15 Premier League appearances as he battled with injury, illness and form.
He looks to have been usurped in the battle for a place in the front four by summer signing Said Benrahma, while Manuel Lanzini, Pablo Fornals and Jarrod Bowen remain ahead of him in the pecking order under David Moyes.
Ex-Irons striker McAvennie believes the best move may be to part ways this summer, to avoid any potential disputes.
“I think he’s Moyes’ kind of player, he obviously just wasn’t working hard enough for him,” McAvennie told West Ham Zone.
“It’s a strange situation.
“I think if Yarmolenko wants to move Moyes will have to get him out because he could change the mood in the dressing room, which has a good atmosphere at the moment.
“I don’t know the boy but he could be a virus. It’s better to get rid of them soon rather than later if they don’t want to be there, mopping about, which he will be if he’s upset at not playing.”
Different direction
Times are changing at West Ham, and that means a different profile of players are being targeted.
Moyes has enjoyed success in his second spell as Irons boss by recruiting smartly, including players that go under the radar.
Tomas Soucek and Vladimir Coufal were relative unknowns before we plucked them from Slavia Prague last year, while the likes of Jarrod Bowen and Craig Dawson have enjoyed success after being bought from Championship sides.
Yarmolenko was a high-profile capture when we signed him after he made his name on the international stage for Ukraine, and he had only made a big-money move to Borussia Dortmund the season before.
However, he’s failed to fully prove his worth, and it would be an agreeable exit for all if he were to move on to pastures new this summer.
In other West Ham news, a journalist has slammed this Irons star in a big-money blast that makes a mockery of David Moyes.
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