Liverpool consider huge £65m swoop for Bournemouth ace Antoine Semenyo in January but face competition from Man City, Tottenham and Man Utd

When Semenyo signed a new Bournemouth deal until 2030 this summer, potential suitors may have felt their hopes of signing him had shrunk a great deal. However, the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City, and Tottenham were given a boost after this release clause news emerged in October. With the January transfer window just over a month away, speculation is ramping up again that the Ghana international could be on the move in 2026. However, Cherries boss Andoni Iraola was in no mood to entertain such matters last week. 

He told reporters: "We are in November. Antoine is our player, he will continue being our player. In January, you can ask me about the market in January, but right now I'm not worried about the next markets. It's something that especially you know that I hate to talk about in August, January, the moments when the market is open, but it is not one of those moments. It's November. I'm more worried about the situation of the players to play tomorrow, the short-term, the things that really matter and in January, we will talk about whatever happens, the players we need. But it is not something that I'm worried about today."

According to The I Paper, Liverpool have made enquiries about Semenyo, they know of the clause that allows buying clubs the 'first week or so' of the January window to sign him for £65m, and they see the ex-Bristol City man as potential competition for Mohamed Salah. The Egypt international is a Reds legend, but this season he has scored five goals in 17 games, which is underwhelming by his lofty standards, with Semenyo bagging six in 11 Premier League appearances. Liverpool are understood to be the front runners to sign the wideman but City also hold a genuine interest in him. Pep Guardiola's side are likely to move for him in the summer when his clause is reduced to below £60m ($79m). That would be Bournemouth's 'preference', with the Dorset outfit desperate to retain him for as long as possible. Semenyo is said to be happy on the south coast and is not actively looking for a move but concrete interest from City and Liverpool 'would change that'. 

Liverpool romped to the Premier League title in May but this season, they are a shadow of their former selves. The Reds have slumped to 12th in the Premier League, have lost six of their seven English top-flight games and tasted defeat in nine of their last 12 matches in all competitions  - a 71-year low. Manager Arne Slot is under increasing pressure to keep his job, with talk of a short-term return for Jurgen Klopp in the offing if the Dutchman is sacked. Incidentally, Liverpool's form between now and January could dictate whether or not the Merseyside outfit move for Semenyo in January.

"Recruitment is data-driven and scientific these days but football clubs are also emotion-led in some ways. When Semenyo’s stats were so good at the start of the season, £65m looked a snip for the best attainable attacker. It may be that if there is a slight drop-off now, they change those plans and January isn’t the right time for it," a source told The I Paper.

Aside from transfer talk, Ghana star Semenyo will be focusing on securing Bournemouth all three points on Saturday when they travel to Sunderland in a battle between eighth and seventh respectively. Both sides are locked on 19 points from 12 matches, and a win could potentially see the victor rise into the top four at the end of the weekend.