---
title: "Mourinho to target Konoplyanka in January?"
canonical: "https://readchelsea.com/2015/10/19/mourinho-target-konoplyanka-january/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Conor O'Connell"
section: "Chelsea News"
published: "2015-10-19T14:46:28Z"
modified: "2015-10-19T14:46:28Z"
---

# Mourinho to target Konoplyanka in January?

According to a report from [Sky Sports](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11668/10034051/chelsea-manager-jose-mourinho-scouts-sevillas-yevhen-konoplyanka), José Mourinho is targeting Sevilla’s Yevhen Konoplyanka with a potential bid lined up in January as Chelsea seek to turn around their season.

Mourinho was pictured in the stands as [Spain defeated Ukraine](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/33544084) 1-0 in a chilly Kiev, courtesy of Mario Gaspar’s first-half header. Originally rumours swirled across social media that Mourinho was scouting [Andriy Yarmolenko](https://readchelsea.com/2015/10/16/blues-target-signs-new-deal-still-leave-summer/) of Dynamo Kyiv.

Yet also present at the match was Shakhtar Donetsk’s long-time serving manager, Mircea Lucescu, who may have exchanged a word or two with Mourinho. Lucescu:

> Mourinho is interested in Yevhen Konoplyanka. I was at Ukraine versus Spain with Mourinho and he is interested in some players.

![Chris Brunskill/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readchelsea.com/readchelsea/2015/10/483664792.jpg)

The Ukraine winger [nearly joined Liverpool](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/feb/01/liverpool-ukraine-yevhen-konoplyanka-dnipro-16m) for £16 million in January 2014, only for Dnipro Club President, Ihor Kolomoyskyi, to refuse to recognise Konoplyanka’s buyout clause. Subsequently Konoplyanka ran down his contract and joined Unai Emery’s Sevilla on a free transfer in the summer.

With Chelsea’s attacking midfielders severely underperforming this season, Willian being the obvious exception, a move for Konoplyanka would be hardly unforeseen. Indeed, Mourinho recently dropped Eden Hazard in [Chelsea’s 2-0 victory](https://readchelsea.com/2015/10/17/chelsea-2-0-aston-villa-pictures/) over Aston Villa, [publicly criticising](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11668/10033336/jose-mourinho-tells-eden-hazard-to-work-harder-or-stay-on-chelsea-bench) last season’s PFA Player of the Year for a lack of effort.

However given the recent nature of Konoplyanka’s move to Spain, it appears unlikely that a move to West London would come to fruition in the near future. Moreover, the Ukrainian would be cup-tied for the Champions League having already appeared in the competition this season for Sevilla.