A somewhat forgettable four-year spell in the Premier League with West Ham United is unlikely to be the first memory which comes to mind when discussing the career of Andriy Yarmolenko a decade or so from now.
Yes, a legend of Ukrainian football had his moments on English shores.
That brace against Everton. The opener in a 2-0 win over Manchester United. His winner against Chelsea.
That stoppage time strike against Sevilla in the last-16 of the Europa League, an emotional Andriy Yarmolenko tearing off his shirt and gifting it to a fan proudly clutching a yellow and blue flag as war broke out back home.
However, Yarmolenko’s name will always be more tied, not to West Ham United, but with Dinamo Kyiv.
Just last month, a 35-year-old Yarmolenko secured the Ukrainian Premier League title for his beloved outfit, firing home from the penalty spot to drag Dinamo Kyiv over the line and end a near-decade long drought in the process.
And, yesterday, Yarmolenko announced his plan to retire at the end of the coming season. Though, until that day arrives, there are still trophies to be claimed and records to be smashed.
Former West Ham United winger Andriy Yarmolenko reveals retirement plan
While the returning Michail Antonio hopes to hold off Jarrod Bowen as the West Ham captain hunts him down at the top of the club’s all-time Premier League goalscoring charts, Andriy Yarmolenko is on the verge of history himself.
The former Borussia Dortmund winger has already replaced Serhiy Rebrov as Dinamo’s leading goalscorer in the Ukrainian Premier League. With 114 strikes, he is now only eleven away from beating Maksym Shatskykh’s all-time record.
Not content with emulating Michail Antonio back at West Ham, Yarmolenko could now become the Ukrainian top flight’s answer to Alan Shearer.
Though, ahead of his final season as a professional, the four-time Ukrainian Footballer of the Year is far more interested in collective prizes than individual honours.
“[Me and my representatives] talked to the head coach and the president, because it was important for me to hear that I was needed as a football player. I don’t want to be at the club for my past achievements in any way,” Yarmolenko says, initially explaining his decision to sign a 12-month contract extension.
“When I heard their opinion, I realised they were counting on me. So I signed a contract for another year.
“As for whether this will be my last contract, I can say with confidence that this is my last year as a football player.
“I’m not interested in [overtaking Shatskykh] at all. For me, the most important thing is for Dynamo to become champions again. The most important thing is when my team became champions, and I saw this joy in my eyes when I looked in the mirror.
“When I saw this joy in the eyes of my teammates, when I saw this joy in the eyes of my friends, my family, my children. This is the most important thing for me. And whether I break this record or not, that’s it.”
West Ham spell was highly beneficial for Ukraine legend
Yarmolenko, who joined West Ham in a £17 million deal back in 2018, also had a few kind words to say about his old London Stadium employers.
Regardless of how successful his time might have been in England – only 27 Premier League starts and eight goals across an injury-hit spell – Yarmolenko has absolutely no regrets.
“Of course it helps [to play for a club like West Ham]. This is the highest level, I think,” the veteran adds, while admitting he keeps in touch with some of his former Hammers teammates.
“Of course it helps. I think that any experience helps in life.”
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