18 Jun 2015

Great News: £15m attacker who 'dreams' of 'Liverpool' confirms he'll sign for a club 'in England'. No-brainer?

Liverpool have lost on some major signings over the last two years, with FC Dnipro attacker Yehven Konoplyanka one of a long line of high profile transfer fails. Konoplyanka recently confirmed that the Reds tried to sign him during the January 2014 transfer window, and amid rumours of a move to Spain this summer, the Ukrainian has reaffirmed that he's only interested in playing in the Premier League.

When asked on Tuesday about his future, Konoplyanka dismissed rumours of a move to Spain, and sent a clear message to Premier League league teams interested in signing him:

"My priority is to play in England. That's where I want to continue my career and I will do that. Maybe clubs have met with Dnipro, but I can only say what I want to do."

Given Liverpool's long-standing interest in Konoplyanka - and his oft-stated desire to sign for the club - this obviously a blatant a 'come and get me plea', but will the Reds act upon it?

Konoplyanka has made it explicitly clear that he wants to sign for Liverpool on several occasions:

Apr 2014: He noted: "I talked to Brendan, and talked about the move, but the transfer didn't go through. Liverpool is one of my dreams. I support them, and will keep on supporting them".

Jan 2015: He told the Daily Express: "Last time with Liverpool was different. I wanted to go there but the clubs could not agree terms."

May 2015: Konoplyanka reiterated again that he wanted to sign for Liverpool, when he told Ukrainian newspaper Sportske Novosti: "I am sorry I didn't join Liverpool when they wanted me".

Liverpool were last linked with £15m-rated Konoplyanka in January, with the Daily Express claiming:

"Yevhen Konoplyanka has turned down a move to Roma in order to join either Liverpool or Tottenham this summer".

Soon after, Konoplyanka told reporters:

"I want to leave. I would like to play for a top club, but have been unable to reach agreement with the president."


Several ex-Reds - including John Aldridge - have voiced their support for the signing, but Reds legend Mark Lawrenson isn't as enthusiastic about a transfer. In a column last season for The Mirror, he mused:

"Even if Brendan had brought in winger Yevhen Konoplyanka from Dnipro, I don’t think he would have got into the side ahead of [Raheem] Sterling, who has improved beyond recognition"

I totally disagree with this. Konoplyanka (arguably) would've provided intense competition for Sterling, who has failed to make a consistent impact this season, especially in the final third, where he contributed one measly goal in the last 15 games.

Konoplyanka is older, more experienced, and far more consistent than Sterling, and averages one goal/assist every two games for the last three seasons. Additionally, he would've been a significant better - and cheaper - option than Lazar Markovic, who made zero impact at Anfield in his debut season.

It's clear that if Liverpool want Konoplyanka, he'll sign for the club in a heartbeat. He's FREE, so it's a no-brainer, surely? Indeed, given the Reds's historical interest, it's hard to understand why have the the club has failed to snap him up already.

Author: Jaimie K


130 comments:

  1. Strange one this. Stoke is looking to sign him and there is no major club showing interest in this guy despite being a free agent. Liverpool didn't show any interest after that January window, maybe we are pi$$ed with his agent or something. Even Spurs looked interested but not any more. What's wrong? He can't be that bad for a free transfer?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kono would be a very good get even on the reasonably high wages he will command.
    The thing i like is he can bang em in and he has the game to do well in the EPL and in particular Liverpool.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ian Ayre spent 2 weeks in Ukraine trying to buy him for £15m 18 months ago, now he is on a free....................where are FSG and Liverpool???.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Captain of Ukraine too.

    ReplyDelete
  5. The owner of Dnipro is a seriously bad dude to mess with...........................I say no more!!.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Have to get him. Better end product than sterling, turns up in big games, still only 25, 50m cheaper, would improve our first XI and wanted to play for us. Reliable source on another site reckons we're in for him. Fingers crossed!

    Let's start a campaign to bring in King Konoplyanka!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Yes but he is free agent now and yet no major club is interested.

    ReplyDelete
  8. If we like feebies this is the King of freebies!!!.

    ReplyDelete
  9. His family are still there and he is worried about them, he has to play the game, Ukraine is not quite the UK in terms of law and order.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Sterling to City £45m, Konoplyanka to Liverpool for free................never has there been better business done!!.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Depending on what part of the Ukraine you're in..

    ReplyDelete
  12. The Brazilian guy that we and Man U are after was the worst player on the pitch last night - I say it again - Columbians are the best forwards in World Football on a value for money basis - They have stunning pace and plenty good buys for approx £15 million

    ReplyDelete
  13. So what the diff if he moves to Stoke or Liverpool ?

    ReplyDelete
  14. Patrick Roberts should be our Sterling replacement

    ReplyDelete
  15. Man C have bought him for 8m !

    ReplyDelete
  16. Very speculative.

    ReplyDelete
  17. You are so right, that should have been our priority from day one.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Maybe he will be playing against us in the 1st game of the season ?

    ReplyDelete
  19. His parents and extended family.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I only agree with one of those and even then he might play in the cups

    ReplyDelete
  21. Will also manage to see you from all angles in few years time. ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  22. Good for you , talk about swimming up stream !

    ReplyDelete
  23. Anyone see Emre Can for Germany lastnight............................quality in midfield.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Don't agree with anything you just said..

    ReplyDelete
  25. 4eva LFC, LFC 4eva8:38 am, June 18, 2015

    Not English Not going to happen................................BR has no idea how to manage anyone who has the ability to see him for what he really is a mid table manager chasing the England job and is threatened by any real talent because they would find him out.

    ReplyDelete
  26. You should all grow up a bit Liverpool will do very well just get a grip and wait and see.always so negative give them a chance doesn't work then be Negative.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Or indeed of the UK ;)

    ReplyDelete
  28. To be honest, the posts that get most support on here tend to be the ones which don't agree with any of that.

    I think there's a large, passionate and angry section of the support which does feel that way.

    But there's another, also large and passionate but also cool, suave and sophisticated section of the support, where all the good-looking girls are, and the people with the best shoes and hair, which doesn't.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Suarez scored 31 goals and 13 assists meaning contributing 44 goals out of 100 goals(2013-14). 52 is the no of goals we have scored this season add those last years 44 goals we are title contenders and remove those we are 6th. So yeah it was Suarez who got us to 2nd.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Not many transfers have been done so far by anyone to be fair.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Wait for £50m. It will come and then be glad to see the back of him.

    ReplyDelete
  32. This would be an excellent deal in every respect, so we'll probably end up with Jack Grealish for 25 million pounds instead.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Dunno. Another winger? We have so many players that can play there, with Ojo coming through strongly from the juniors strongly as well. Plus he'd be in the way of Ibe's progress, which is a long-term goal that might make a massive difference for us one day.



    Still I quite like Konoplyanka and he should have been allowed to sign for us when we were in for him before... I just feel that maybe that ship's sailed. Except... free... hm... get him in, give him 10 games, sell him for £10m next summer...?



    But I doubt he'd fancy that! So better off elsewhere probably.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Patrick Roberts has not signed for City yet if we match the £8 million price we could steal him = he is a RED

    ReplyDelete
  35. Spot on mate. Yeah, Suarez could see it. In his biography he makes it clear that Rodgers had coached him to bite Ivanovic in order to get banned and reduce his transfer value, as Rodgers was trying to force Suarez out and replace him with Andy Sinton or Chris Sutton.

    And Gerrard could see it too, that's why he left Liverpool the day Rodgers arrived and told the press he'd return "over his dead body" so long as Rodgers was in charge. And his mate Carragher could see it as well, that's why he tells everyone who'll listen that he hates Brendan Rodgers and all he stands for, and who quit football completely rather than have to spend a single training session under the man. Thank god the two of them have been such outspoken critics of Rodgers, at least there's someone around LFC still able to talk some sense.

    And Coutinho can see it too, that's why he calls Brendan Rodgers Brendinho, little Brendan, because in Coutinho's eyes Rodgers is a pesky dwarf who has done nothing for him and taught him nothing, and hasn't helped him at all with the development of his game and career. The list goes on and on doesn't it. It's just the players whom he's let go or who failed to make an impact at the club that ever have anything good to say about Rogers. Everyone inside Liverpool clearly hates the man and everything he stands for.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Sorry mate, I disagree on all of those points. BR shouldnt, and probably wont go. Milner isn't 'no good', he's an experienced player who has just finished his contract with one of the best teams in england, where the manager clearly wanted him to stay by offering more wages. Ings is a great prospect and will certainly make it, maybe not as big as some others, but he looks like he'll be a reliable PL scorer. Bogdan will play, just not often.
    Speak for yourself, there are plenty of Liverpool fans who can actually see things from a few perspectives.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Apparently we're in advanced talk with Lucas Digne of PSG...what does that mean for Moreno?

    ReplyDelete
  38. Grealish would be a good pickup, just not for that amount. For circa 10m he'd be worth a punt, if we were lacking in young wingers, which we aint.

    ReplyDelete
  39. David James made a very interesting observation about Emre Can last night = very talented BUT Too fat - carries too much weight and runs out of gas in the second half - I think he has a point - he needs to lose a stone - That should get them going Jamie

    ReplyDelete
  40. Competition.

    ReplyDelete
  41. It means he finally has some competition and we can get rid of Jose. Digne is a much more solid LB, a bit more defensive. Looks like a decent player, maybe put him at LB in a 4 man backline, Moreno at LWB in a 5 or 3?

    ReplyDelete
  42. Love your work Robo. Love it so goddamn much.

    ReplyDelete
  43. Agreed. It's just my cynicism talking.

    ReplyDelete
  44. He could organise some decent parties for the lads if nothing else. Let's get him in.

    ReplyDelete
  45. Nah, it's time to ditch the wing backs, at least until our midfield wraps their heads around the concept of cover defence. Moreno was isolated on the left often last season, and we saw against manure how a little error of positioning can ruin a game and a player's confidence. He and Digne are both good in four-man backlines.

    ReplyDelete
  46. I don't understand why we are going for Konoplyanka, I mean what possible reason would we have for not going for him specially after we were after him 18 months ago and now he is free?

    With Sterling leaving soon enough we'll need a replacement and Kono fits the bill.

    If he goes to Tottenham we'll regret it alas Eriksen.

    ReplyDelete
  47. A "couto" is a field or paddock, according to the highly respected Portugese dictionary I like to call Wikipedia -- so I guess it's the equivalent of the English name Littlefield. Which is kinda perfect for the lad.

    ReplyDelete
  48. Yeah, I lost faith in the 343 towards the end. Swansea worked out how to play against it, & utd played us off the park.

    ReplyDelete
  49. Skrtel new deal...

    ReplyDelete
  50. What is the meaning of this... change? Don't like change.

    ReplyDelete
  51. Do you have to threaten to leave to get a new contract at Liverpool now? Is that the secret of the "working model" we hear so much about?

    Sounds like they went to the same business school as the people who run my place of work. Well, place of "work".

    ReplyDelete
  52. Look id agree but Ojo Wilson Canos etc havent done anything to suggest they will be EPL stars great potential but thats it.

    ReplyDelete
  53. I think Liverpool are trying to follow a model that no club in the football world adopts which is performance based contracts with big incentives.

    Players want big wages, they don't care about bonuses as much. I bet they offered him a 2K improvement in his contract haha

    ReplyDelete
  54. I think you maybe following a model mate i suggest you concentrate on what your saying not whats in front of you.

    ReplyDelete
  55. What do you mean? *

    ReplyDelete
  56. You have trouble with that they are not following any performance based contracts.but u have your eyes on some sheilas butt geez.

    ReplyDelete
  57. It has run its course with the current crop of players, I think.

    ReplyDelete
  58. Not at all, I don't have a problem with it, I think it makes sense having that approach. But pretty much everyone else does not follow that model strictly. So we may offer 70K with loads of performance based bonuses but City may offer 120k with less bonuses, the player may be more inclined to accept the higher wages as its guaranteed money.

    Just my view on it anyway.

    ReplyDelete
  59. Anyone see Ilori play last season? Will play against England tonight. Cant see him at club next season now toure signed year extention

    ReplyDelete
  60. Its one of those things if unless most of the top sides are doing it youll never sign anyone.

    ReplyDelete
  61. True. It seems a very baseballish approach.

    ReplyDelete
  62. Its the best way to go in any sport but football will prob never embrace it and its a pity.

    ReplyDelete
  63. I would bet Ilori will be sold he didnt set the world alight in France.

    ReplyDelete
  64. He carries a bit of weight i think someone needs to lock his fridge.

    ReplyDelete
  65. I'll watch him tonight. Apparently he broke Ronaldo's sprint record at Sporting, but if he can't defend no point persever

    ReplyDelete
  66. Tell us how he goes i have held high hopes for him regardless.

    ReplyDelete
  67. Lot's of defenders in the offing, don't see the name Lacazette being mentioned much.

    ReplyDelete
  68. Martin Skrtel has agreed a new contract with LFC.

    ReplyDelete
  69. I totally agree. Getting Kono on a free is a no brainer considering his affiliation with the club. Contrary to popular belief, we do not have so many wingers with quality. Sterling is on the move, Coutinho and Lallana are NOT wingers, Ibe and Marko are still very raw and unproven. Getting this guy will bring experience, pace, trickery and more of a goal threat.

    ReplyDelete
  70. He was injured for most of the season. i read someone saying that Bordeaux were in the top 4 until Illori got injured and then they went downhill from there.

    ReplyDelete
  71. Ok Sid we will see mate.

    ReplyDelete
  72. I have not watched much of him but the one game I did see of his was Granada vs Barca and he handled Messi better than I have seen most. He has quality and definitely cannot do worse than Lovren.

    ReplyDelete
  73. Joe Gomez to have a medical on Friday according to "Sky sources"...they say he has a £3M release clause.

    ReplyDelete
  74. Saw him in Spain but not that game only played 9 there though.

    ReplyDelete
  75. Why oh why?? He have more pressing concerns than more potential.. Is he even going to get a chance to play?

    ReplyDelete
  76. Sid it wont hurt to get young cheapies who knows now again you get a gem i mean look at it we spent about 90 mill on junk last season.

    ReplyDelete
  77. Why not give a chance to some of the young players already at the club? Surely Illori merits a chance when we spent more on him than we will on this guy. Also, why not give Wisdom?

    ReplyDelete
  78. I don't mind this one, as long as we actually bring in some mature reinforcements.

    ReplyDelete
  79. That I agree also.

    ReplyDelete
  80. Look at it this way if we didnt invest a few million on young uns we wouldnt have got Sterling for starters.
    Ilori and Wisdom well i have my doubts on that .

    ReplyDelete
  81. We are spending so much time on all these unneccessary signings when there is time that when we address the required issues, we will panic and get more Balos in.

    ReplyDelete
  82. Didn't realise he got injured, just saw 12 appearances. He's got to be worth a few europa or capital cup games. Dont think Wisdom is the answer

    ReplyDelete
  83. I am all for getting young ones but surely now is the time for experience considering the season which we have had. If we finished in the Top 4, these signings would be good but now what we really, really need is proven quality. My worry is we do not address the required issues and it becomes a carbon copy of last season.

    ReplyDelete
  84. I want to just add Sid with the draw especially in the early part of the season and the manager under pressure certainly no manager would be testing kids thats why.

    ReplyDelete
  85. You forgot we also lost 20 Sturridge goals

    Back to 70 then...

    Suarez didn't do it all himself , for the last time. The side was set up to get the best from him. Take Aguero from City and then Dzecko and see how many they score. Rooney then De Gea from Utd and see where they finish. Sanchez and Giroud from Arsenal. Costa and Fabregas

    from Chelsea
    The two seasons were not comparable
    The point is the manager was responsible, or the players. If you put Suarez into a side ,he doesn't magically turn a clueless manager into a near PL winning one by scoring 31 goals. And he didn't for the previous two seasons either, one with Kenny when we scored 47 all season

    ReplyDelete
  86. Here's something to think about... Baseball players don't get the chance to injure their competition every day in training ;)

    You can't have a too-competitive structure in football really. Careers are short, and players can develop and learn all the way to the end. The game is not stable like Baseball but always changing. Players need a certain degree of assurance about their future in order to be able to grow. Not too much obviously, but still, that's the way of it.

    ReplyDelete
  87. certainly is a no brainer..... still too much to think about for Ayre and Co.

    ReplyDelete
  88. I disagree. We lose 20% so we only get £28m for a start. We will have to pay good money for a top replacement and much higher wages than Sterling. That's £4m a year saved v his replacement. Down to £20m
    We also would get £15m or so development fee if he went for 'free'
    Down to £5m
    We are struggling at our present situation to attract top talent with no CL and no PL for so long, £28m against all the advantages of the top 4 sides, better wages from all but maybe Arsenal, not a recipe for getting a better player...
    If you look at Sterling's highlights this season you will also see a lot of great play amongst the high profile misses. At £35k pw he's actually a bargain and used to the PL obviously

    ReplyDelete
  89. NOse and face spring to mind.... If LFC are set on sacking him, then why is he still here making a mess of our summer business.... Makes no sense.. FSG have no intention of sacking Brendan.

    ReplyDelete
  90. The thing that may be holding things up could be bringing in the right replacement i dont know but i am happy for BR to stay.

    ReplyDelete
  91. You should check out some more of the youth games, they are showing plenty.... Sterling and Ibe were in exactly the same position till they weren't...

    ReplyDelete
  92. I'll admit to being a massive supporter of Brendan, right up until the Palace repeat, and the Stoke humiliation....I see plenty of clubs out there that find adequate stand ins till the right man becomes available, LFC have plenty who could and would step in for the short term... But to be honest, I think until that certain someone does become available, Brendan is probably better than most we could replace him with temporarily.....I think, had we offered the job to Rafa, Klopp and or Ancelotti, or whom ever, the job would be filled now.... I just don't think FSG believe they could do any better than Brendan in the current system....

    ReplyDelete
  93. What the heck, we like the kamikazee approach to defending anyhow.....

    ReplyDelete
  94. Or atleast a firstteam coach and an assistant to challenge Brendan when he makes absolutely baffling decisions....

    ReplyDelete
  95. Seems LFC forgot about Illaramendi aswell.

    ReplyDelete
  96. In our financial field we call it, "
    A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush". Meaning an investor is likely to value fixed dividends from a stock more than a speculative capital gain in future. Hope that makes sense.

    ReplyDelete
  97. Seeing as the only way they could have got the knowledge of his release clause was through nefarious means.....I think they should leave well alone..... Probably the same morons planning on boycotting the new FIFA 16 game if Hendo makes the front cover...

    ReplyDelete
  98. I almost forgot, wasn't it Gerrard that convinced Suarez to stick around for another season to makes sure he got his dream move.....

    ReplyDelete
  99. Yeah have seen em not much though but still the majority of talented kids dont step up and i am not saying they will or wont.

    ReplyDelete
  100. Yep,,does dreem know his dream move!

    ReplyDelete
  101. Banging your head mate.

    ReplyDelete
  102. Nice plot. Take a bow.


    Would be interested in knowing your impression about the dressing room at Liverpool and what did you think of the Stoke humiliation. Did the players lose faith in BR?

    ReplyDelete
  103. Call me clueless, but that went right over my head.

    ReplyDelete
  104. Hang on, hang on, I think I get it.... Dreem, Raheem.... *smack* hand on forehead.

    ReplyDelete
  105. Liverpool were reportedly offered Edin Dzeko, Stevan Jovetic or Alvaro Negredo during tentative negotiations for Raheem Sterling.

    .
    Of course Liverpool rejected the offer. We don't need a striker.

    ReplyDelete
  106. I mean $ter£ing

    ReplyDelete
  107. Last season were willing to pay 16 m but dont want him for free !?!?!

    ReplyDelete
  108. Disagreed!, Suarez made Rodgers looks Outstanding.., even the man it self admitted it

    ReplyDelete
  109. Nicolas Chamberlain2:09 pm, June 18, 2015

    Reportedly? Only the well known tabloids. Besides that why would any of these three want to come to LF?. I think its great we are playing hardball and won't get ridiculed with some lame cash+player deal.

    ReplyDelete
  110. That makes sense. Thanks for the clarification.

    ReplyDelete
  111. And according to other reports, Dzeko rejected LFC outright.


    Jovetic has been a walking injury case.


    And Negredo would have to take a pay cut to come here.


    It's not always LFC's fault.

    ReplyDelete
  112. Nicolas Chamberlain2:11 pm, June 18, 2015

    So much time? The market is still officially closed. Time is not the issue, the players we are targeting is the main problem. I really can't understand why we don't sign Konopylanka...

    ReplyDelete
  113. I agree, but both Ilori and Wisdom are 4 years older. Gomez will probably go into an academy side, while the other two have aged out. They'll be loaned or in the first team by default.

    ReplyDelete
  114. Turned down Negredo? He's just what we need.

    ReplyDelete
  115. From your lips top God's ears.............lets sing together:


    Bye, Bye, Balo, Bye, Bye, Balo........................

    ReplyDelete
  116. You're right, but Ojo is as close to a 100% certainty as you get I reckon.

    ReplyDelete
  117. Your right he didn't do it by himself ,he more or less did it by himself

    ReplyDelete
  118. In one year Suarez helped take Barca from a team reeling from the loss of Pep, Tito, and a clueless Tata to treble winners... Had Liverpool kept Suarez, they would have definitely made it further into the CL and/or finished in the top 4 to remain in the CL. They didn't and Sturridge got hurt. Sterling is nowhere near good enough to put the squad on his back.

    ReplyDelete
  119. If Suarez really could more or less do it himself, then why did we not challenge in either of the two preceding years?


    One was under a previous league winner too, so you can't blame it on a supposedly clueless manager. What, he didn't have the same will to win? Garbage.


    If things were down solely to Suarez we would have challenged for the past 3 years. We didn't.


    Checkmate.

    ReplyDelete
  120. Yes, but in the end it has to be said that saying Rodgers needs to be replaced is one thing, and may well be true, but saying he was clueless is total garbage

    Giving him no credit whatsoever is such a crock

    ReplyDelete
  121. I have lost faith in him at LFC, mainly because I don't think he can do it with FSG's transfer restrictions and the huge amount of pressure piled on by us, but he is clearly not clueless.... Just not suited to LFC.....yet!

    ReplyDelete
  122. Rodgers signed neither sterling or Suarez but both want to leave ( read into that what you will ) you rate Rodgers as a manager and that's your prerogative but I don't think he's a top level manager he's a snake oil sales man with a tab of no cups or medals at a cost of 220m. And the loss of our best players ,Rodgers has made us into a selling club

    ReplyDelete
  123. And?

    Rafa lost Masch, Alonso, Benayoun, Arbeloa, even gave frees to Hyppia and Hamaan both of which went on to have more than the odd good season.

    Doesn't mean he's a bad manager. We lost, Owen, before that Rush, and before that, Keegan, at the height of their powers. Did that make us a selling club?

    If it does, then we've been one for quite some time.

    I only rate Rodgers as far as looking at the 13/14 season, which was a system and style that blew away most teams in a manner not seen since the 80's. One player (Suarez cannot be the only reason for that and certainly couldn't do it on his own.
    Right now, Klopp would be preferable but no manager could have come that close without some serious ability

    ReplyDelete
  124. Barbra would be a nice add and perhaps could be funded by a Lovren exit or a COATES / ENRIQUE sale. I still would like us to give Ilori a real look this pre-season because he is not so skinny anymore, has had two years to grow physically and emotionally and has speed which is always good......

    ReplyDelete
  125. Absolutely agree. Suarez made BR look like a genius with his great chemistry with Daniel and Stevie and a bunch of Semi-passengers..........

    ReplyDelete