Liverpool in talks to sign Ukraine forward Yevhen Konoplyanka

Liverpool: Liverpool are in talks over the possible £16 million (Dh97.4 million) signing of Ukraine forward Yevhen Konoplyanka as Brendan Rodgers aims to secure a major transfer before Friday’s deadline.

The Liverpool manager revealed after Tuesday’s 4-0 Merseyside derby rout of Everton that he hoped to land a “major signing” following the frustration of missing out on Mohammad Salah to Chelsea and no in-comings in this window so far.

That target is Konoplyanka, the versatile Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk forward who scored and shone against England at Wembley in the World Cup qualifying campaign.

Konoplyanka has been repeatedly linked with a move to the Premier League since impressing at Euro 2012 with Manchester United and Arsenal among his suitors. Liverpool hope to conclude negotiations swiftly for the 24-year-old having been gazumped by Chelsea over Salah and as they look to build on the momentum of their emphatic derby victory.

“Hopefully we’ll do something over the next few days,” said Rodgers after the derby. “Hopefully we can have a major signing before the window shuts.”