32-year-old Ukrainian winger Yevhen Konoplyanka has revealed he nearly made the switch to Anfield back in 2014.
At the time he was playing FC Dnipro and attracting attention from some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
Liverpool had offered €25m (£18 million) for the winger who has extremely keen on a dream move to England.
Now, some eight years later, Konoplyanka reflects on that moment in time.
Guys, we are with you 💪🏻 all Ukraine is with us 🇺🇦
Let's show what we can👊🏻 pic.twitter.com/598A3QBtM1— Yevhen Konoplyanka (@kono10official) October 10, 2020
Konoplyanka on failed move
The former Sevilla player opened up when speaking to Wezlo about the move which he claimed made him cry when the deal collapsed:
“I was crying. A delegation of serious people from Liverpool came to Dnipropetrovsk. We ate dinner. They were (willing) to pay as much as (Dnipro owner) Ihor Kolomoyskyi wanted,” Konoplyanka recalls.
“Martin Skrtel wrote me a message; ‘We are waiting for you’. Steven Gerrard also gave me his blessing.
“I used to go to Kolomoyskyi; ‘Please, please, please, let me go. It will make my dream come true’. I begged.
The winger got his big move to Sevilla a year later and in an ironic turn of events – the Ukrainian was part of the squad which denied Jurgen Klopp his first trophy.
His Seville side went on to beat Liverpool 3-1 in the Europa League final in 2016.
Yehven Konoplyanka on his failed move to Liverpool in 2013: "“I was crying. A delegation of serious people from Liverpool came to Dnipropetrovsk.
“I used to go to Kolomoyskyi [Dnipro's owner]; ‘Please, please, please, let me go. It will make my dream come true’. I begged." pic.twitter.com/2qPrMsJhEl
— Anfield Edition (@AnfieldEdition) July 19, 2022
Liverpool signings that very nearly happened:
Other famous moves that never quite happened for Liverpool fans include Nabil Fekir to Liverpool from Lyon back in 2018.
The now-Real Betis player was poised to join in a deal worth £53m but subsequently failed a medical at the final hurdle.
There was also a failed approach for Marco Reus a few years back – with Reus a huge fan of Klopp – but the forward stayed loyal to his club and remained at Borussia Dortmund.
Liverpool had also moved for Alex Texeira from Shaktar Donestk in 2016 but Liverpool never returned to negotiations after their initial bid of £24.5m was rejected.
Fekir: "Of course I was disappointed not to go to Liverpool, very disappointed because Liverpool are a great club. I met the coach, Jurgen Klopp, and it went well."
— Anfield Watch (@AnfieldWatch) July 19, 2022
