Bids may arrive at some point in the near future but, right here right now, neither West Ham United nor Leeds or Fulham have made a move for one of the hottest young strikers in Europe.
Then again, maybe that is to be expected.
The transfer window hasn’t even opened yet – not officially anyway – and Premier League clubs have until the end of August to finalise their squad planning for next season. Furthermore, Dynamo Kyiv would prefer to keep Vladyslav Vanat until after the Champions League play-offs at the end of the summer anyway.
In the meantime, as West Ham join Leeds and Fulham in chasing the striker, president of the newly-crowned Ukrainian Premier League champions Igor Surkis accepts that bids will lead to talks, and talks could lead to a departure.
Vanat has caught West Ham United’s eye en route to a second successive Golden Boot award. Dynamo Kyiv are unlikely to stand in his way, meanwhile, if they receive an offer in the region of a rumoured £17 million asking price.
Dynamo Kyiv president says no West Ham talks with Vladyslav Vanat yet
Vanat has 21 goals in all competitions this season. Unless Shakhtar Donetsk talisman Georgiy Sudakov hits a hat-trick on the final day of the season, he will claim the division’s Golden Boot for a second year in a row.
In the meantime, Vanat admits he wants to join a major European league at some point in the near future.
Former Dnipro and Girona talisman Artem Dovbyk turned down West Ham for Roma in 2024. With The Hammers again considering their options in the centre-forward department, Graham Potter may be hoping for greater success in pursuit of Dovbyk’s compatriot.
“There are no offers for Dynamo players,” president Igor Surkis insists. “Not for Vanat, not for any other player. But perhaps there will be offers. We will see. We will sit down at the negotiating table, as everyone does.
“That’s all I can tell you.”
Vanat is a teammate of Andriy Yarmolenko in the Ukrainian capital.
Former West Ham winger Yarmolenko scored the decisive goal in the title race last week. His penalty against Chornomorets ensured that Dynamo cannot be caught on the final matchday.
“I think every footballer wants to play in Europe, and I am no exception,” Vanat told Dynamo Mania, eight assists this term to go with his 21 goals.
“I hope that sooner or later an offer will come that will suit both the club president and me, and everything will work out.
“I don’t know [about specific interest]. Nobody told me anything. For me, the most important thing was to win the championship. Of course, I wanted to win the Cup but it didn’t work out [Dynamo Kyiv lost on penalties to Shakhtar in the final].
“We won the championship, summer is coming. We will see.”
Artem Dovbyk chose Roma over West Ham when leaving Girona
West Ham are interested in Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap as well, while Emanuel Emegha, Yuri Alberto, Lorenzo Lucca and Villarreal ace Thierno Barry have also been mentioned.
Of course, The Hammers would maybe not have to go all-in on a new number nine this summer had Dovbyk accepted their proposal 12 months prior.
“It was my decision [to join Roma],” the £26 million targetman says, translated by Tuttomercatoweb. “I would have played in the Champions League at Girona, but there were also sales of some important of players who had provided me with eleven assists. So I had doubts about staying.
“After a season like that, I needed to make a leap in quality. There were negotiations with Atletico, which then didn’t end well. I think someone at the club really didn’t want me.
“West Ham were also there and I also spoke to the coach. Also some clubs from Saudi Arabia were interested. But I wanted to continue in Europe even though the salary in Saudi Arabia would have been very high.
“So there were three options: Atletico, West Ham and Roma.”
