“I think I will leave West Ham 95 percent,” Andriy Yarmolenko said in an interview recently. Under the terms of the contract between the Ukrainian and his current club, the Hammers have the option to automatically extend the contract for another year, but they are in no hurry to use it. In fact, this is the main reason why the leader of the Ukrainian team left the London club almost one hundred percent. The winger, in his own words (and his wife’s confession), wouldn’t mind staying in the British capital. But the club seems to have decided that expanding their collaboration with an older player who has lost his foothold and is still the highest paid player on the team (approximately six million pounds a year salary) is a luxury that cannot be afforded. Therefore, if nothing supernatural happens, Yarmolenko will leave the Premier League at the end of this season.

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In general, there is no sign of a sensation in this news. Andrei actually confirmed what was in the air. At least remember the last transfer window. In January, there was a lot of talk in both the British sports press and the Ukrainian press about the possible transfer of Yarmola to another club. Let’s say the 32-year-old football player moved to the bench a long time ago, having even lost his rotation player status. And this winter and last winter there were constant rumors about Andrey’s possible transition to the Turkish Championship. Allegedly, the leading clubs of Istanbul were ready to fork for the transfer of the leader of the Ukrainian national team. The only obstacle on this path was only the player’s high salary. In addition to Turkish clubs, Yarmolenko was associated with Genoa when the team was coached by Shevchenko. And with Dynamo. Of course, there were other career extension options that were not so obvious at first glance. But in the end, Yarmolenko did not go anywhere. And he stayed at West Ham.

In the first 19 rounds of the current Premier League championship, Andrey played in nine games for the Hammers. In total, this turned out to be just 70 minutes of game time. So, actually, he didn’t even play enough for a full duel. The Ukrainian player managed to find a penalty in the last minute of the match against Man United in the third part of this time (23 minutes). In principle, this is all his achievements in the first part of the English championship, because he did not differ in goals or assists.

True, in the Europa League our midfielder did much better: he went to base in four of the five games and scored a goal (against Austria Rapid).

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And then… And then there was a war between Russia and Ukraine. Yarmolenko brought thoughtless aggression very close to his heart. At least because his family remained in besieged Chernihiv. And he asked Dynamo President Igor Surkis to help them get them out of the bombed city. The war changed many Ukrainians, including Andriy. From the first days, he did not get tired of showing his citizenship position. And not only in words, but also in deed. And in the company of our other players who played in Europe (Malinovsky, Zinchenko, Kovalenko, Yaremchuk, Mykolenko) and on his behalf, Andrey transferred serious sums to the needs of his country and the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Even Vyacheslav Chaus, head of the Chernigov OVA, spoke of his “gifts” to our armed forces.

West Ham supported Yarmolenko in every possible way. Already on the second day of the battle, David Moyes, head coach of the Londoners, said: “We will definitely help Andrei.” A banner “We send love and prayers to Yarmolenko and the Ukrainian people” was placed in the “West Ham” stadium. The players of both teams wore Yarmolenko T-shirts to the Wolves and West Ham game.

The help turned out to be really effective – after a few days off provided by the club, football player Yarmolenko changed. In principle, it could not be otherwise. According to the football player, in four years he has not felt such support from the fans and the club, where he lived from the first days of Russian aggression in Ukraine. Therefore, he said to himself: “Fight as your people fight.”

In the match of March 3, Andrey scored two goals. And both are very important. And very beautiful. In the match of the 29th round of the Premier League – he scored a goal against Aston Villa. This goal was officially named West Ham’s Best Ball of March. Prior to that, Yarmolenko had not scored in the championship since the summer of 2020, which, by the way, also upset the Birmingham club.

And Sevilla scored an unforgettable goal in the 112th minute of extra time. This ball took West Ham to the quarter-finals of the Europa League. Tears, emotions, enthusiasm, recognition of fans, coach, partners – it was as if the old glorious times had returned to Yarmola, as if youth had returned. Or, the second part has arrived.

Against the background of all this “reincarnation”, Moyes began to trust the Ukrainians more. In particular, in 34 rounds of the Premier League – against Chelsea – Andrey came out at the start and spent 73 minutes on the field: more than in the first 19 rounds.

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However, it seems that West Ham still will not renew the contract with the Ukrainian midfielder. This is his right. Andrey and we have no reason to be uncomfortable with the club. You can’t say that West Ham ruined Andrei’s career. Or did not give him a chance. It didn’t break. given. Only the conditions in the form of frequent injuries – and let’s be honest – sometimes turned out to be higher in decisive moments. Therefore, in fact, one of the best Ukrainian football players in our independent history did not manage to realize his full potential.

However, even against the background of some meager phrases, “half-heartedness”, Yarmolenko could leave his current club on horseback. There is every opportunity for this. For this to happen, he remains to play successfully in just three games: against Eintracht Frankfurt in the two semi-finals of the Europa League and in the final. In this tournament, Moyes entrusts Andrey with a top spot. It seems to me that the coach will use the Ukrainian more in the remaining matches.

And the Ukrainian will certainly pay for this trust a hundredfold. Now he and the men who protect him are playing with a doubled or even tripled energy for our country. It would be very nice and symbolic to see Andriy Yarmolenko with the UEFA Cup on 18 May. It would have been a glorious and memorable end to his entire English career. And not just English in general.

And then it would be possible to think about a new workplace. About Turkish clubs or teams, “let’s just say from hot countries – Saudi Arabia.” Or about the same “Dynamo” – and what a joke. Yes, and about teams from Spain and Italy, where there is still interest in the leader of the Ukrainian national team.

But that will happen later. Now in the foreground are the main matches in the club career of a true Ukrainian patriot and football player Andriy Yarmolenko. Let’s wish him good luck.