Rodgers racing to sign £20m Ukraine winger Konoplyanka as Liverpool boss looks to boost squad for Euro push
By DOMINIC KING
PUBLISHED: 09:18, 29 January 2014 | UPDATED: 09:42, 29 January 2014
Liverpool have targeted an ambitious move for Yevhen Konoplyanka as Brendan Rodgers looks to make the star signing that will enhance his side's hopes of Champions League qualification.
After missing out on Mohamed Salah to Chelsea, Liverpool have turned their attentions to the Ukraine international, who has been building an impressive reputation at Dnipro.
Konoplyanka - who played in both Ukraine's World Cup qualifiers against England, scoring in the 1-1 draw at Wembley in September 2012 - is highly-regarded and if Liverpool were to capture the 24-year-old's signature in the next 48 hours, they could end up paying as much as £20million for a player who can operate effectively on the flanks or through the middle.
Rodgers may have been slightly frustrated to miss out on Salah but he has promised to keep working until the last minute to boost his squad before the window closes on Friday and after Tuesday's 4-0 demolition of Everton, Liverpool's manager claimed he was 'very hopeful' of getting a major deal across the line.
'Hopefully we'll do something over the next few days,' Rodgers said. 'The only thing I would mention is the headlines after the press conference yesterday with the manager being angry with the club. It's far from the truth.
'I've said from day one the owners have been brilliant we're just not always going to get the players in that we want. The people here are important and we're in it together. Hopefully we can do something before the window.'
Rodgers has been desperate to make a standout signing during the last six months.
He first attempted to land Henrikh Mykhitaryan but was beaten to the punch by last season's Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund.
He then pursued Atletico Madrid's Diego Costa, missed out to Chelsea for Willian and was again gazumped by Chelsea for Salah.
Konoplyanka, however, fits the profile of player Liverpool are looking to sign.
If they were able to complete a deal for a player who has represented his country 35 times before this window closes, it would represent something of a coup.
Who is Yevhen Konoplyanka?
Born in Kirovohrad on September 29, 1989, Konoplyanka signed for Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk as a 16-year-old in 2006. He started out with the youth squad but made his senior debut as a late sub in a league match against Zakarpattia Uzhhorod in the summer of 2007. His first league goal arrived in 2010 - the same year he won the first of his 35 international caps. Comfortable on either wing, Konoplyanka is more about touch than speed and has a superb range of passing. He can also play just behind the strikers.
By DOMINIC KING
PUBLISHED: 09:18, 29 January 2014 | UPDATED: 09:42, 29 January 2014
Liverpool have targeted an ambitious move for Yevhen Konoplyanka as Brendan Rodgers looks to make the star signing that will enhance his side's hopes of Champions League qualification.
After missing out on Mohamed Salah to Chelsea, Liverpool have turned their attentions to the Ukraine international, who has been building an impressive reputation at Dnipro.
Konoplyanka - who played in both Ukraine's World Cup qualifiers against England, scoring in the 1-1 draw at Wembley in September 2012 - is highly-regarded and if Liverpool were to capture the 24-year-old's signature in the next 48 hours, they could end up paying as much as £20million for a player who can operate effectively on the flanks or through the middle.
Rodgers may have been slightly frustrated to miss out on Salah but he has promised to keep working until the last minute to boost his squad before the window closes on Friday and after Tuesday's 4-0 demolition of Everton, Liverpool's manager claimed he was 'very hopeful' of getting a major deal across the line.
'Hopefully we'll do something over the next few days,' Rodgers said. 'The only thing I would mention is the headlines after the press conference yesterday with the manager being angry with the club. It's far from the truth.
'I've said from day one the owners have been brilliant we're just not always going to get the players in that we want. The people here are important and we're in it together. Hopefully we can do something before the window.'
Rodgers has been desperate to make a standout signing during the last six months.
He first attempted to land Henrikh Mykhitaryan but was beaten to the punch by last season's Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund.
He then pursued Atletico Madrid's Diego Costa, missed out to Chelsea for Willian and was again gazumped by Chelsea for Salah.
Konoplyanka, however, fits the profile of player Liverpool are looking to sign.
If they were able to complete a deal for a player who has represented his country 35 times before this window closes, it would represent something of a coup.
Who is Yevhen Konoplyanka?
Born in Kirovohrad on September 29, 1989, Konoplyanka signed for Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk as a 16-year-old in 2006. He started out with the youth squad but made his senior debut as a late sub in a league match against Zakarpattia Uzhhorod in the summer of 2007. His first league goal arrived in 2010 - the same year he won the first of his 35 international caps. Comfortable on either wing, Konoplyanka is more about touch than speed and has a superb range of passing. He can also play just behind the strikers.
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He'd be mad not to imo, but we've seen mad decisions before from players/agents!
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