Confirmed: 'Incredible €27m Liverpool target with 40 goals/assists will 'leave'. Replace Sterling?

Liverpool are once again being linked with a move for Dynamo Kiev star Andrey Yarmolenko, and in a potential boost for the Reds, the 25-year old attacker has confirmed this week that he is definitely moving on this summer.

Speaking to Ukrainian website ProFootball, Yarmolenko mused:

"Right now is the perfect time to change clubs. The president knows that I want to leave, I have repeatedly spoken about this".

Liverpool transfer timeline:

Aug 2013: Ukrainian newspaper Gazeta claimed that Liverpool were 'close' to signing Yarmolenko.

Aug 2013: Another report claimed that Liverpool submitted a €23m bid for the Ukraine international, but a deal could not be concluded.

Jun 2014: Liverpool considered making a summer bid for the attacker, with Kiev reportedly dropping their asking price to £15m.

Mar 2015: The Liverpool Echo claimed that Liverpool were planning a £19.5m (€27m) move for Yarmolenko.

In September 2013, Tor-Kristian Karlson - A Norwegian Scout, and Former CEO of Monaco - warned LFC to steer clear of Yarmolenko. He explained:

"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, he 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. He could reach the highest level like I did"

Yarmolenko - recently praised praised by Everton boss Roberto Martinez for his 'incredible' finishing - is not a 'marquee' name, but he has many positive attributes:

* 95 goals/64 assists (159 G/A total) in 260 games for Kiev.

* Goal/assist every 1.6 games, which is a fantastic record.

* This season: 19 goals/21 assists (40 G/A total) in 42 apps.

* Basically 1 goal/assist every single game.

* 18 goals in 46 games for the Ukraine national team.

40 goals/assists in 42 games is superb, and it's no flash in the pan; as his figures attest, Yarmolenko has a sustained history of consistently making a specific, measurable impact for Kiev, and he also has the physical attributes to be a success in the Premier League.

The lamentable capitulation at Stoke highlighted the physical weakness at the heart of the team, and players like Yarmolenko will bring some much needed steel and strength to the squad.



Five seconds after Yarmolenko publicly confirmed he wants to move on, Liverpool should've been on the phone to Dynamo Kiev to submit an official offer. Alas, given LFC's sluggish performance in the transfer market, I doubt this news is even on Ayre et al's radar yet.

For me, it's simple: Yarmolenko is avaailable, and Liverpool should be moving heaven and earth to sign him. Like any transfer, there's a risk of failure, but spending money on proven players who match the criteria above is always a better idea that splurging big bucks on young, comparatively) untested players (i.e. Markovic etc).

Forget the likes of Ings and James Friggin' Milner - Yarmolenko is (IMO) the type of player Liverpool should be targeting:

* Experienced and strong.

* Proven match-winner/game-changer.

* Coming into his prime years.

* Clear upgrade on players already at the club.

* Consistently good goals/assists output.

* Most important: Bar a concussion (after a clash of heads) back in 2013, Yarmolenko has never been injured. He is solid as a rock, just like Luis Suarez.

I'd swap Sterling for this guy in a heartbeat. Yarmolenko is bigger, stronger, more experienced, more prolific, and at 6'2, he won't be pushed off the ball easily.

Is Yarmolenko capable of bettering Sterling's stunning record of 7 league goals all season? Obviously, yes, and his history proves that.

Basically, it's a no-brainer: sell The Mercenary to the highest bidder and use part of the cash for this transfer.

Author: Jaimie K