23 Jun 2014

£8m Discount: LFC want exciting £23m star hailed as a 'great player' by Shevchenko

Liverpool are reportedly set to reignite interest in Dynamo Kiev attacker Andrey Yarmolenko, who is allegedly available for a cut-price fee this summer.

According to recent reports:

* Liverpool are once again considering a move for 24-year old Yarmolenko.

* Kiev have reduced their asking price from £23m to £15m.

During last year's summer transfer window, Ukrainian newspaper Gazeta claimed that Liverpool were 'close' to signing Yarmolenko, whose current contract expires in 2015.

The Reds reportedly put in a €23m bid for the Ukraine international, but a deal could not be concluded. Soon after, Tor-Kristian Karlson - A Norwegian Scout, and Former CEO of Monaco - warned LFC to steer clear of Yarmolenko. He explained:

"It Seems odd that Liverpool would sign players from Ukraine, which is hardly a "value market". I certainly wouldn't [spend] £20M on Yarmolenko. He's a decent player, but not worth anywhere near that [and[ he wouldn't improve the Liverpool squad"

Ukraine legend Andriy Shevchenko certainly doesn't agree with Karlson's assessment, and in a recent interview, the striker heaped praise on Yarmolenko, who is described by national coach Oleg Blokhin as 'unstoppable'. Sheva told Yahoo Sport:

"Yarmolenko is a great player, talented and quick. Even though he doesn’t play in my position up front, he still manages to score plenty of goals. If he works hard, he could reach the highest level like I did"

Yarmolenko is not a 'marquee' name, but he has a few positive attributes:

* 62 goals for Kiev in the last 4 seasons. Double figures every year.
* 20 goals in 2013-14.
* 15 goals in 39 games for the Ukraine national team.
* At 6'2, he's tall, strong and powerful, which will make a good contrast to Sterling/Coutinho.

Worth Pursuing? A viable alternative if deals for Lallana, Pedro, Firmino, or Sanchez fail?

Author:


33 comments:

  1. Konoplyanka > Yarmolenko

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  2. at 15 million he would certainly be better value for money than lallana, even if lallana costs 25 million, let alone the 30 which seems more likely.

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  3. he's also won games on his own for us

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  4. Haha, it's like when you say to someone, 'no offence, but you are really ugly'

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  5. I don't agree that SG should retire. It makes far more sense to reduce his play the way Man U did with Scholes.....

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  6. Are you serious? There's a difference between fluffing under pressure, and slipping over on a wet pitch in an extremely unlucky manner.

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  7. Wellbeck should have never been ahead of any of these guys. Roy is not a great manager.........

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  8. I am still a Gerrard fan just like 99.99% of LFC fans but as we saw during the EPL season, teams with strong mid fields hurt us when SG was out there so he got moved to defensive Mid. His passes, and free kicks are still fantastic. Maybe this season, BR will begin to platoon him the way Ferguson used Giggs and Scholes. He spotted those two against certain teams and for measured durations and I think that time may be here for our captain......BR is a keen observer so I doubt he hasn't thought of this already.........

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  9. Alexis Sanchez all day long, we should not negotiate with these people after the January fiasco. Sanchez is G'teed quality, FSG open the purse strings and pay what it takes to get Sanchez., he is pure class, against any opposition.

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  10. That's just over the top harsh

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  11. You are correct. I don't know why I thought otherwise. But the stats don't back up my claim.

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  12. Yes, just like ferguson used a Scholes and Giggs the last few years at Man U.

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  13. Exactly correct. Greg. It happened others times in other games as well during the season. He tries to single handed lye atone for a miscue. Can't always do so and could hurt the team in trying too hard......

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  14. From what I've seen, I agree with this. Yarmolenko's figures are more impressive, but I think Konoplyanka is more likely to make the step up.

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  15. Deja Vu. Marquee names promised squad players targeted......let's keep praying for Sanchez and Twistadee to be named The general manager.......

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  16. EXACTLY! and stop screwing around with Lallana....

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  17. Yarmolenko is a very talented player ready made for the premier league. He was too expensive last time around and over valued but for 15 million pounds could be a very good acquisition. Overall better than konoplyenka. Tall quick and very good technically. I'd have him over Lallana for 25 or 30 million anyday. Also has champions league experience. Wouldn't mind him or konoplyenka

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  18. Header...Istanbul...2005.

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  19. "Is he the best in the world? He might not get the attention of Messi and Ronaldo but yes, I think he just might be. He has great passing ability, can tackle and scores goals, but most importantly he gives the players around him confidence and belief. You can't learn that – players like him are just born with that presence."
    —Zinedine Zidane on Gerrard, 2009.

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  20. It must suck to be Stevie G right now.
    Whatever has he done to deserve all this?!
    Poor guy.

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  21. Agreed on Wellbeck but he is not responsible for leaking goals. We need to be fair here. Gerrard seemed very tired to me during those two games. There is a reason why both winning goals came so late. On the other hand, England has to realize they were playing Uruguay and Italy, two giants in world football in their own right with more world cups in their trophy cabinet than England itself. One of the three had to lose out and to be honest I always thought it would be England because they just cannot grasp the concept of playing at a major tournament.

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  22. Saying that, hands down alexis sanchez needs to be the top target. He is arguably the best wing forward in the world and his current displays prove it. If liverpool pay 30 million for Lallana instead of sanchez I will be deeply distraught! Lallana is good bit sanchez is another level.

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  23. Sanchez has looked imperious with Chile. He will certainly be a fantastic addition to the team.

    If Suarez goes, I wouldn't mind £30m + Sanchez + (any of Pedro/Afellay/Montoya)

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  24. Can't remember who I was having the discussion with in regards to Man Utd making a lot of signings this summer and possibly outspending any other prem club.

    Well they are about to announce their first signings- Ander Herrera for a reported 28mil.

    As for those people saying we should not negotiate , how do you think transfer work?

    The buying clubs makes an enquiry, selling says they want x amount, buying club offer less, the two clubs then negotiate. Sometimes it takes a few days, other times it can take a few weeks.

    Unless of course you are saying that we should pay what ever the selling club demand in which you will just complain we are being taken to the cleaners again.

    If you are not saying this but you also do not want to negotiate then how the hell do you expect to sign any player?

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  25. Agree, it's a tough time for him, but I'm sure the £200K+ he banks every week will soften the blow.

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  26. FIRMINIO. That is all.

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  27. I just didn't have the mental energy to ist everything out

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  28. Yes but his slip wouldn't have mattered if others hadn't made mistakes earlier. It's hypocritical therefore to fixate solely on this one slip.
    As for being "very replaceable" he led the assist charts and scored double figures for goals, directly contributing over 25 goals in the league, one of only 3 players to do so. It's not about sentiment it's about not being myopic in your viewpoint

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  29. I've seen Yar and Kono each play about 6 times each, some during the same match and others for their respective team. I always thought Konoplanka was the better of the two. And better value. One plays on left and other on right typically. I always thought, why doesn't Lpool try for Kono. This was about a year prior to the England vs Ukraine matchups just recently. Yarmolenko, at the time was being praised for his performances and touted as the future star for Ukraine, but I always saw Kono have more of an impact. But I could have seen too small of a sample. Kono was more of an unknown.

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  30. Hell yeah jonny. Totally agree. Y.N.W.A

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  31. Awww. The cruelest velvet cut.

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  32. I seem to remember England missing a WC cos Shilton dived over a Polish shot at goal...

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