A development has come to light regarding the potential transfer of Ruslan Malinovskyi to West Ham United.
The Lowdown: West Ham target midfielder
Rumours have swirled about Malinovskyi making the switch to the London Stadium, with Italian publication Calciomercato reporting on October 28th that West Ham were interested in his services.
According to their information, the playmaker, who currently plays for Serie A side Atalanta, is now seen as a reserve option at the club, and so he may look for a move away to get increased game time.
The Latest: Contact made
As per a new update from Calciomercato, current manager Gian Piero Gasperini prefers both Ademola Lookman and Mario Pasalic to the Ukrainian, with the Hammers being one of four clubs looking to capitalise on this, and secure a deal for him in January.
However, to attain the services of the 29-year-old, the West Ham hierarchy may have to stump up a fee in the region of €30m (£26m), and prove themselves an attractive enough proposition to tempt him away from Bergamo, where he has just bought a house.
It’s thought that the east Londoners are one of many clubs that have already made contact over a potential move.
The Verdict: Good business
Although the figure that Atalanta are demanding is high for a player that is approaching the end of his peak years, the £21.4k-per-week maestro has proven during his time in the Serie A that he is worth it.
Once described as a “baller” by BBC Sport writer Raj Chohan, the 51-time Ukraine international is the creative force that the Irons need in midfield, as indicated by an average of 5.44 progressive passes per 90 minutes over the past year, placing him in the top 3% in this area, highlighting a tendency to want to advance the ball into attacking areas.
This figure eclipses what has been mustered up by current midfield option Said Benrahma, who only attempts 2.1 per 90 minutes, and so Moyes should move for Malinovskyi in January in a bid to get his team firing again.
