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Following the rather public nature of Liverpool's failure to sign Yevhen Konoplyanka on deadline day, it was never a story that was simply going to end quietly the next morning. Liverpool have continued to press the case with friendly journalists that the money to trigger Konoplyanka's release was transferred with two hours to spare. Dnipro have continued to insist in a series of press releases and interviews in Ukraine that the money didn't get there in time.
On the surface it seems like a case with the potential to end in appeals to FIFA and lawsuits for damages. Instead, both sides seem largely content with making noises, arguing their sides of the story without any real threat behind their accusations. As Liverpool, by their claims in any case, are the wronged party, this can give the appearance that Dnipro are in the right and Liverpool simply promoting their narrative for the sake of public relations.
Yet both sides at least seem to also be hinting at the possibility of heading back to the table in the summer to conclude a deal, which will leave many fans scratching their heads. Clearly something went wrong; clearly, at least in public, the sides are miles apart on what that is; but everybody seems to be trying to play just nice enough not to rule out the deal being wrapped up in the summer. The latest entrant is Dnipro director Andriy Rusol, who sees a summer move as near certain.
"I am a thousand percent sure that Liverpool will try again in the summer and then we'll let him go," Rusol told press in Ukraine. "Money was not the problem, the problem was that Liverpool came too late. But in the summer everything will be fine. If Liverpool, in the summer, come to us, Yevhen will go to them. Up to the deadline we were waiting for the transfer of money from Liverpool, but this did not happen."
Following Liverpool's deadline day failure and the early accusations between the two clubs, a summer move for Konoplyanka would have seemed impossible on Saturday. Now, given both sides appear to be doing just enough to remain civil, it would be foolish to rule one out. Just as long as Liverpool don't show up in Ukraine on the final day of August, at least.
