Ukrainian forward Yarmolenko leaves London’s West Ham for UAE club Al Ain

Ukrainian footballer Andriy Yarmolenko has joined Al Ain on a free transfer from London club West Ham United. The Ukraine winger, 32, has signed with the UAE club on a deal that will run till the end of the 2022-23 season.

Yarmolenko had four seasons at West Ham, scoring 13 goals in 86 appearances for the club.

After Ukraine was invaded, Yarmolenko said he was “so emotional” when scoring in a 2-1 victory over Aston Villa in March.

Yarmolenko’s best personal campaign was 2019-20, when he scored five goals in 23 Premier League games, while he featured prominently during his side’s run to the Europa League semi-finals last season, playing 32 matches in all competitions. Only Andriy Shevchenko has scored more goals (48) for the Ukraine national team than Yarmolenko, with the ex-Dynamo Kyiv winger having scored 45 goals in 109 matches.

Al Ain is managed by Serhiy Rebrov, who also played for Dynamo Kyiv team and the Ukraine national side. Rebrov also played for London clubs Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United.

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Peter Dutczyn

Peter Dutczyn is an ex-pat freelance editor based in the Ukrainian capital, who has worked for BBC Monitoring World Service and USAID, among others, in the 20 years he has spent living in Ukraine. He hails from England. Contact mail: [email protected]