Former Shakhtar Donetsk footballer Oleksandr Sopko shared his thoughts on the possible extension of the contract with the 35-year-old Dynamo midfielder Andriy Yarmolenko.
Andriy Yarmolenko. Photo: Getty Images«They might extend the contract with Yarmolenko for another season, his experience in serious, tough games would definitely come in handy. Plus, he is very authoritative in the dressing room, in the training process, such players are needed by the team, by young footballers.
The other question is whether Andriy himself will be interested in the role of such a substitute, in the role of an uncle, whether he will find it interesting to sit on the bench and watch the game. I am not sure. Another moment is the injuries, which have become more frequent. After a while, they also affect the health of the player. I know from experience how, when the time comes, all these knees, backs, and ankles start to ache at night, and not just respond to the weather.
So if Yarmolenko feels healthy and is ready to endure the training process, and the club has enough money to meet his demands, then anything is possible. In any case, this is entirely the team's internal matter, and advising something from the side is indecent and pointless,» concludes Oleksandr Oleksandrovych.
It is worth reminding that in the Europa League match against Galatasaray (3:3), the player, coming on as a substitute in the second half, scored a double and brought the white-and-blue their first points in the current European Cup competition. The player marked his double against Galatasaray at the age of 35 years, 2 months, and 29 days. This double became his first in European competitions as part of Dynamo.
