Jackson Martinez Liverpool Transfer Blow, Reds Must Wait for Yevhen Konoplyanka

Liverpool have been handed a double blow in their reported pursuit of two January transfer targets, as it looks as though the Reds are set to miss out on both Jackson Martinez and Yevhen Konoplyanka.

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The former is a player who has been linked with the Merseysiders throughout the first half of the Premier League season, per Ben Jefferson of the Express, and on the face of things, he’s the kind of player who could solve Liverpool’s perennial problems at the sharp end of the pitch.

But Henrique Pompeo, the Porto man’s agent, has claimed that Martinez’s first choice should he leave the Portuguese giants is a switch to Serie A, per AreaNapoli.it (h/t Joe Short of the Express):

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His desire is clear: he wants to play in Serie A. He has his heart set on Italy and if he were to leave Porto then Serie A would be his first choice.

It is very unlikely Porto would let him leave in January, because they still need him for the Champions League and to chase Benfica in the table, so consequently Martinez will only move at the end of the season.

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Martinez is a player who could potentially give Liverpool an added dimension in their attacking forays. He’s well adept at marrying his burly somatotype with wonderful poise, characteristics that would make the rangy Colombian a wonderful foil for the vibrant attributes possessed by Raheem Sterling and Daniel Sturridge.

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Although Martinez is a player who would bring something different to the Reds attack, he’s a forward who will cost a lot of money to sign. Given that he’s 28 years old and that his heart is apparently set on a move to Italy, this is one that looks as though it’s best avoided for Brendan Rodgers.

January is a time for bargain captures and cut-price signings anyway. One player who could represent massive value for the Reds is Konoplyanka, with his contract at current club Dnipro set to expire at the end of the current campaign.

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The prospects of a January move are looking slim, though. The club had confirmed that the player was in talks with Roma about a potential switch, but speaking with Italian news agency ANSA (h/t Joe Short of the Express) Konoplyanka’s father has admitted that it’s unlikely he’ll be going anywhere until the end of the season:

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He probably won’t sign the contract with Roma.

What I can say is that Roma would really like him to sign it, but my son wants to stay at Dnipro until June and then leave. He wants to stay and I think he will very probably remain here until his contract expires.

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Here’s a look at what the player could add to the Reds’ cause:

Liverpool just missed out on signing the Ukrainian international on the final day of last season’s January window, per Jamie Sanderson of Metro, but since then Rodgers has added a couple more players in the mould of the Dnipro man. Indeed, Adam Lallana and Lazar Markovic are both stylistically similar players to the 25-year-old.

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But as noted by Tor-Kristian Karlsen of the Guardian, Konoplyanka is a player regularly touted around at this time of year in respect of a potential transfer:

Nonetheless, he’s a player who is ready to make the next step up in his career. According to Short’s piece, Everton and Tottenham Hotspur also harbour an interest in Konoplyanka, meaning that there’ll be no shortage of suitors for his signature in January or come the end of the season.

From Liverpool’s perspective, given the summer recruitment carried out by the club, missing out on the Ukrainian international wouldn’t be a devastating blow. Indeed, for the player to continue getting minutes under his belt and further his development in a better calibre of league, Anfield doesn’t look like the ideal destination for him either.