Liverpool have reportedly joined Manchester United in the race for one of the Premier League’s in-form forwards, with ‘pressure mounting’ on struggling superstar Mohamed Salah.
Liverpool have endured a rocky start to their Premier League title defence, losing their last three matches to Manchester United, Chelsea and Crystal Palace.
They had won five out of five to begin the campaign but were criticised for their defensive disorganisation — and for relying on late goals to get over the line.
Arne Slot’s side have looked shaky at the back all season, with Ibrahima Konate, Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong among those in the firing line.
Having spent over £400million in the summer transfer window after winning the league, Liverpool now have a target on their back, and their new players are being heavily scrutinised.
Kerkez and Frimpong cost a combined £75m and are yet to convince, while £100m+ signings Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak look well off the pace required — with the former even dropped to the bench in recent weeks.
MORE ON LIVERPOOL ON F365
👉 Salah, Van Dijk lead 10 Liverpool players experiencing worrying slumps this season
👉 Real Madrid ‘make move’ for Liverpool starter but Arne Slot has ‘elite’ transfer plan
👉 Mikel Arteta only third in Premier League manager rankings for 25/26
One shining light has been the form of £69m addition Hugo Ekitike, who has been tasked with competing with Isak for the No.9 role in Slot’s starting XI.
While most of the new faces are still adjusting, Salah — who scored 29 goals and made 18 assists in the Premier League last season — has been nowhere near his 2024/25 level.
The 33-year-old has only registered three goals and three assists in 11 appearances across all competitions this term, and in Sunday’s home defeat to Manchester United, Frimpong offered more threat on the right wing in five minutes off the bench than the Egyptian did in 85 minutes.
Salah signed a new two-year contract in April to end months of speculation, but his form has dipped since then, and rumours regarding a long-term successor have intensified.
One option for Liverpool is reportedly Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo, who has started the season in electric form, scoring six goals in eight games after signing a new deal at the Vitality Stadium.
Semenyo was strongly linked with Tottenham and Manchester United in the summer but surprised many by committing his future to the Cherries.
However, the i Paper says Liverpool are ‘considering’ bidding for the Ghanaian in the winter transfer window ‘as the pressure increases on out-of-form Mohamed Salah’.
Despite his new contract, Bournemouth know keeping Semenyo will be a difficult task, made even harder by Liverpool ‘joining the crop of clubs interested’ in signing him.
With Salah struggling, Liverpool could pursue ‘long-term’ target Semenyo in January to push the Egyptian into form.
Importantly, Salah will be away at the Africa Cup of Nations in January, while Ghana will not be competing — adding to the intrigue around a possible move.
Bournemouth included a release clause in Semenyo’s new contract, and while those terms are ‘not clear’, the Reds are ‘tempted’ by the proposition of triggering the option believed to be in the region of £75m.
The report adds that Man United and Spurs both remain interested in Semenyo, who Bournemouth are ‘desperate’ to keep until the end of the season.
READ NEXT: Arne Slot next? Ranking the five post-title managerial sackings from fair to harsh as f***