The bookies have slashed the odds of the player joining the Reds as they look to make up for lost time by spending big on the 23-year-old.
Liverpool have bid £19.7m for Dynamo Kyiv’s Andriy Yarmolanko, as reported by the Star, Sky Italia and Gazeta of Ukraine.
The 23-year-old winger is now Brendan Rodgers’ number one target after missing out on Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Diego Costa and Willian.
Whilst these targets were all central-playmakers, Rodgers has now taken to the idea of signing a winger and moving influential fan favourite Philippe Coutinho into the middle of the pitch.
This could prove an astute move from Rodgers, as the transfer market has recently seen a flurry of central attacking midfielders make moves, leaving slim pickings for the Liverpool manager. An appropriate winger could be more easily found for Liverpool, as well as adding greater depth to the side following the loan moves of Oussama Assaidi and Suso.
At 6’2½” and with plenty of experience in the physical (and often freezing cold) Ukrainian Premier League there should be little doubt about Yarmolenko’s physical ability to adapt to the Premier League.
Yarmolenko’s agent Mikhail Gulordava was even quoted as saying he would prefer a move to England.
Italian giants AC Milan were thought to be interested, although with the impending arrival of Alessandro Matri for £12m should make Yarmolenko’s large price tag an issue.
The Ukrainian has an excellent record with Dynamo Kyiv in recent years as he struck more than ten goals in fewer than 30 games in each of the last three seasons. His record for the national side is equally impressive, with 11 goals in 32 games – all playing either behind or flanking the striker.
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