Liverpool to resurrect deal for Ukraine winger Yevhen Konoplyanka in the summer

LIVERPOOL expect to land Yevhen Konoplyanka in the summer after missing out on the Ukraine winger on transfer deadline day.

Konoplyanka looks set for a move to Anfield in the summer

Konoplyanka, 24, underwent a medical and agreed terms with the Reds but managing director Ian Ayre could not finalise the deal.

Dnipro claim that Liverpool failed to transfer the initial fee as part of the £15m deal in time but Reds officials have denied that, insisting it was sent at 9pm – two hours before the window slammed shut on Friday.

Boss Brendan Rodgers was disappointed not to get his man to give him more quality for their Champions League qualification push.

But the Northern Irishman will get Konoplyanka to Anfield in the summer.

Dnipro’s executive director Andriy Rusol said: “There was no time to organise the technical transfer.

“If Konoplyanka continues in the same train and play the way he plays, it’s a matter of time before he goes into a good European club.

“A thousand per cent sure that Liverpool will attempt to buy Yehven in the summer.

“And with plenty of experience in dealing with our club, that will make it more organised and likely to succeed.

“If they had come a little earlier, things would have been different.”

Konoplyanka is a star for both club and country

Liverpool star Daniel Sturridge has revealed that he does not believe Chelsea trusted him to play as a striker and that is why he failed at Stamford Bridge.

The England striker, 24, has netted 28 times for Liverpool in just over 12 months since signing from Chelsea – four more than his entire Blues career.

And the former Manchester City front man puts that down to his forward role at Anfield.

He said: “I was never sure if I’d play as a striker (at Chelsea) because people didn’t believe in me.

“I was often asked to play in a different position and to do a job for the team.

“But, having been a striker and then being asked to just flick a switch and play on the wing was always going to be difficult.

“I think that now I’m just playing the way that I did as a kid but I’d never had the chance to do that.”

Liverpool fans have been told they will only receive 5,168 tickets for their clash with Arsenal at Emirates Stadium on February 16, instead of the 9,000 expected.