• Premier League

Liverpool close in on Ukraine winger Konoplyanka

Liverpool are closing in on the signing of Ukraine winger Yevhen Konoplyanka before the transfer window shuts on Friday.

Manager Brendan Rodgers is looking to bring in a top-quality player after missing out on Mohamed Salah, who instead joined Chelsea last weekend.

Sources earlier told ESPN that Liverpool are in talks with Konoplyanka's Ukrainian Premier League club, Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk, and he would likely cost around £15 million.

But his father, Oleg, appeared to confirm that a transfer was close when he told Ukrainian media outlet Tribuna: "I do not want to say specifically but the information about a transfer to the English club is true.

"He can change clubs later this week. We do not consider offers from Ukraine."

Liverpool's head of recruitment Dave Fallows is understood to be heading for talks.

Konoplyanka, who has spent his entire career to date at Dnipro, is a versatile attacking threat who can play on either wing or in a more central role.

He has won 35 caps for Ukraine and scored a 25-yard curler against England at Wembley when the two sides drew 1-1 in a World Cup qualifier in September 2013.

Liverpool have yet to make a signing during this month's transfer window, having looked set to bring in winger Salah from Swiss champions Basel until Chelsea outbid them with an £11m offer.

That led to Fenway Sports Group, Liverpool's American owners, facing accusations from some fans of lacking ambition in the transfer market.

There were also reports that Rodgers was angry with the way transfer business had been conducted during this window.

But after guiding his side to a 4-0 Premier League win over neighbours Everton at Anfield on Tuesday night, Rodgers indicated that he was still looking to do a major deal.

He said: "I think we will hopefully do something over the next couple of days.

"I saw some headlines after [Monday's] press conference in terms of the manager being angry with the club [over transfer policy] - nothing is further from the truth.

"We are not just going to get the players we want to get in for a number of reasons.

"We hope we can have a major signing before the window shuts - and if we can do that, we will be set up for the remaining games."

Yevhen Konoplyanka scores against England © Getty Images

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