Yevhen Konoplyanka a Deadline-Day Liverpool Target, Rickie Lambert Exit Rumours

Liverpool could yet add to their squad in the final knockings of the January transfer window, with reports suggesting that the Merseysiders and Tottenham Hotspur are set to battle it out to sign Yevhen Konoplyanka from Dnipro on Deadline-Day.   

As noted by Will Giles of Metro, the Ukrainian international midfielder was close to joining Roma, but he’s turned the Italian giants down, such is his desire to play in the Premier League:

"

Yes, Roma were interested in me, but I refused them. Perhaps they will be disappointed but that’s life and that’s football. Last time with Liverpool was different.

I wanted to go there but the clubs could not agree terms. My goal as a child was to play in England. The leagues are stronger and I still want to try my hand there.

"

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Reds manager Brendan Rodgers may have dashed the hopes of those supporters desperate for a flurry of activity late in the window, per Liam Twomey of Goal.com, but if a player of Konoplyanka’s calibre becomes available at this late juncture, it’d be little surprise to see the Anfield outfit make a late move for him.

With Konoplyanka’s contract set to expire at the end of the season, his future is certainly a hot topic of discussion. The Reds could potentially land him for a cut-price figure—especially when you consider they were willing to pay £15 million for him 12 months ago, per Giles’ piece—and he’d add some real impetus in their charge for a Champions League spot.   

Jon Super/Associated Press/Associated Press

But after the club came so close to landing him a year ago, it’s difficult to see the Reds entertaining another set of rushed negotiations with Dnipro. Indeed, the player himself has already claimed that while he’s keen on a Premier League switch, he wants to see out his contract with his current employers, per football-italia.net.

While there may be next-to-no activity when it comes to incoming players for the Reds on Deadline Day, that may not be the case in terms of outgoings. According to the Mirror (h/t Anthony Chapman of the Express) Rickie Lambert could be sent out on loan to get some first-team football, with Crystal Palace, Hull City, Queens Park Rangers and West Bromwich Albion all keen.    

Jon Super/Associated Press

Lambert fulfilled a boyhood dream after signing a deal at Anfield in the summer, but since he’s been handed the No. 9 shirt he’s failed to make much of an impression for Liverpool. Considering the injury problems that have limited Daniel Sturridge’s season to a meagre five league starts, per WhoScored.com, it doesn't reflect well on the England man.

As noted here by football writer Alex Hess, it probably wasn’t the ideal time for Lambert to join the Reds:

Despite being used primarily as an impact substitute because of his predatory finishing and burly somatotype, Lambert is a player who needs a run of games to get up to speed. Even without Sturridge in situ, he wasn’t getting the minutes needed to flourish and with the England man back amongst the goals, his status in the squad looks bleak.

A loan move is ideal for Lambert at this juncture. The aforementioned quartet of teams are all set for a relegation scrap and the 32-year-old would command a starting place in their sides. As he's showcased throughout his career, if the striker gets a run of games the goals will flow, but at Anfield, chances are going to be very scarce moving forward.