Yevhen Konoplyanka could join Liverpool on a free transfer with the Reds having reportedly revived their interest in the highly-rated winger, according to Express Sport [via Metro Sport].
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The Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk winger is out of contract at the end of this month and has been linked with a move to Premier League, with Tottenham Hotspur [via Express Sport] and Stoke City having emerged as suitors earlier in the month [via talkSPORT].
Turkish champions Galatasaray are also understood to be in the race for Konoplyanka, who starred in Dnipro’s run to the Europa League final last season, and talkSPORT reported earlier in the week that they had made contact with the player over a potential deal this summer.
However, it would appear Liverpool is the player’s favoured destination and he could be viewed as a direct replacement for Raheem Sterling, who has been strongly linked with a switch to Manchester City this summer.
The Blues have seen two offers for the England international rejected by the Anfield outfit in the past week, but they are set to return with an third bid in the coming days, if reports on Goal are to be believed.
Sterling’s exit looks to be a forgone conclusion as he has already stated that he won’t be signing a new deal at the club [via BBC Sport] and it appears Liverpool’s previous hard-line stance of not letting him leave is beginning to soften.
Konoplyanka-who scored seven goals in 14 outings in the Ukraine top flight last season-would be an adequate replacement and what is even more appealing is the fact he would arrive on a free transfer, which seems to be the route the Reds are going down this summer after signing both James Milner and Adam Bodgan for nothing.
The Ukrainian first came to the attention of the English media in 2012 when he scored a stunning long-range effort in the 2014 World Cup qualifier between the two countries at Wembley.