If I Was Liverpool's Manager

Twelve days have passed and still no movement in the transfer window for Liverpool. Recently I've posted transfer rumor after rumor of potential moves Liverpool could do in the January transfer window. In this post I want to go over what I would do for Liverpool if I were in charge of transfers, so here it goes.

Usually there are dozens upon dozens of players that are linked with a move to Liverpool. There hasn't been nearly as many rumors out there this transfer window because simply, Liverpool don't need to strengthen that much. Rodgers has admitted that there might not be any players signed this month, and that might be okay. The players that are available won't really improve the current starting 11 for Liverpool. The only position that Liverpool really need to strengthen in is a wing and bringing in a great player could help Liverpool secure a top four finish.

If it were up to me a successful window would be to sign two Ukrainian wingers. I doubt that there are any truth to the rumors that Liverpool are looking to sign Andriy Yarmolenko, but I personally really want them to be true. I also really want Liverpool to sign Yarmolenko's international teammate and fellow winger, Yevhen Konoplyanka. I'll be honest that I haven't seen much of their play besides what is available on YouTube, but I have been really impressed with what I've seen.

Both players usually play on the left side of midfield, but can play anywhere in the front line, especially Konoplyanka. They are both 24 years old and have a lot of flair and attacking prowess to their play.

Yarmolenko is known more for his flair and has been dubbed the "Ukrainian Messi" by some because of his playing style and success. He loves to run at defenders and is a big fan of the step-over, cutting into the box and shooting at the near post. Liverpool have some good young wing talent coming through the ranks like Sterling and Ibe but Liverpool need a wing with some experience, and Yarmolenko has loads of it for only being 24. For his club, Dynamo Kyiv, he has scored 50 goals in 136 appearances including 15 goals in 24 matches this season.

Yarmolenko is quick and agile like Messi yet is as beast at 6 ft. 2 in. and is also a threat in the air. Liverpool are absolutely tiny in the attack with Sterling and Coutinho and Yarmolenko's size would be a great change to that. Yarmolenko is also a key part of the Ukrainian national team; he has scored 14 goals in 38 caps. There are a few rumors out there saying that Liverpool are facing too much competition to sign Mohamed Salah so they are trying to sign Yarmolenko for 15 million pounds, which would be a very reasonable price for him.

Yevhen Konoplyanka is very similar to Yarmolenko. Having both of them on the flanks would be absolutely awesome. Just imagine the Ukrainians on the flanks, Coutinho in the middle and SAS up top, I think I'm going to have wet dreams about how good that would be. Konoplyanka is smaller than Yarmolenko standing at only 5 ft. 9 in. and is perhaps even quicker than him. Yarmolenko is perhaps better at trickery but Konoplyanka is probably better at creativity and more comfortable in possession.

Konoplayanka also plies his trade in the Ukrainian league, but he plays with FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk. He doesn't score as many goals as Yarmolenko but he has more assists. Konoplyanka has scored 33 goals and had 23 assists in his 157 appearances for Dnipro. He has also had a lot of success with his national team scoring 8 times in 35 caps. He would command a similar fee to Yarmolenko, but maybe a few million pounds cheaper.

Together the two Ukrainians would cost just over 25 million pounds. This is probably more than FSG are willing to spend right now, but if they were to do so Liverpool would be serious contenders for the league title.