ExWHUemployee issues West Ham transfer update in race to sign Atalanta midfielder Ruslan Malinovskyi
West Ham are reportedly not considering making an imminent move for Atalanta’s attacking midfielder Ruslan Malinovskyi.
According to ExWHUemployee, reports that claim the Hammers are closing in on signing the 29-year-old are currently wide off the mark.
While the Ukraine international does tick a box for the club, they’re not understood to be prioritising a move for him in January.
Ex wrote on 3 January, “Despite reports linking us to the signing of Ruslan Malinovskyi of Atalanta we can confirm that these are wide off the mark. The 29-year-old Ukrainian international is out of contract in the summer so does tick a box (players coming close to the end of contract) that we wish to explore however no move has been made.
“There are reported to be a number of clubs in the race for the player and it isn’t thought at this point that West Ham will make a move.”
Can do better
The Hammers desperately need someone who can be an upgrade on Tomas Soucek and ensure that Lucas Paqueta can drop back into midfield.
The Brazilian is better when he’s playing in a two and along with Declan Rice, the duo can form a decent pair until the end of the season.
While Malinovskyi is decent, he’s close to being 30 and will certainly take time to adapt to life in the Premier League.
West Ham are a side that plays on the transition so it’s another thing he’ll have to get used to and he may not be ready for the physicality and the pace of the English top flight.
If they want to bring him in January, it’s not going to be a cost-efficient affair either as it’ll cost them a fee in the region of £17.3 million.
The Hammers ideally need someone who’s used to the game or someone younger who will be able to adapt more quickly and possibly hit the ground running.