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West Ham transfer news: Expert reveals exactly why Dortmund sold Andriy Yarmolenko
ANDRIY YARMOLENKO has been allowed to leave by Borussia Dortmund after a drastic dip in form last season.
According to Sky Germany’s Max Bielefeld, Dortmund made the decision to sell the Ukrainian winger because it was a chance to recoup the exact sum they paid for him.
Yarmolenko started last season on fire after replacing Ousmane Dembele – Barcelona’s replacement for Neymar – at Dortmund.
But his form tailed off with Yarmolenko falling down the pecking order at the club.
West Ham lodged a £17.5million bid for the wideman which was accepted and Yarmolenko completed his move to the London Stadium this week.
Bielefeld explained: “He had quite a good beginning of last season. He came from the Ukraine because Dortmund sold Ousmane Dembele to Barcelona.
“Obviously it was a huge gap to leave at Dortmund and they needed a new Dembele.
“At first he played well, he scored goals, he made decisive passes and Dortmund were quite happy but then from December onwards, the beginning of winter, he wasn’t playing that well anymore.
“He injured his foot and ended being out for a couple of weeks and never really played again at the end of the season.
“The fans liked him at first, I can assure you they are not so sad that Yarmolenko is leaving given the fact they received the same amount of money on him that they spent a year ago.
“They have players like Marco Reus, Christian Pulisic, Andre Schurrle - they don’t necessarily need Andriy Yarmolenko.”
Yarmolenko is West Ham’s fifth signing of the summer but co-chairman David Sullivan this week vowed that more would follow.
Lazio midfielder Felipe Anderson is closing in on a move to the London Stadium while interest remains in Newcastle centre-back Jamaal Lascelles.