Bournemouth general manager Tim Bezbatchenko has admitted that the Cherries will not stand in Antoine Semenyo’s way should the likes of Liverpool or Real Madrid make an approach for the in-form forward.
Semenyo was terrific for Bournemouth last season as he produced 16 goal contributions in the Premier League and he’s carried his stellar form into the current campaign with six strikes and three assists in just 11 league matches already.
The likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United showed interest in Semenyo over the summer following his impressive ascent, but the Ghana international instead signed a contract extension with the Cherries.
However, Liverpool are reportedly among the 25-year-old’s suitors heading into the January transfer window and beyond, with Bournemouth’s resolve set to be tested sooner rather than later.
Bezbatchenko, Bournemouth’s general manager and the director of Black Knight Football Club, has opened the door to a potential transfer for star players like Semenyo, insisting the south coast side won’t prevent them from a dream switch to one of Europe’s behemoths.
Antoine Semenyo
Semenyo scored twice at Anfield on the opening day of the season. / Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images
“When a club like Real Madrid, Liverpool, PSG come in and they’re competing for Champions League positions, who are we to say, ‘No, you can‘t go, you can‘t fulfil your dream,’” Bezbatchenko told the Business of Sport podcast.
“But there is an opportunity and everybody wins, right? I think that’s what we’re trying to find, this commonality where everybody can win.”
Liverpool’s sporting director Richard Hughes was the man who signed Semenyo during his spell at the Vitality Stadium, with the 46-year-old returning to his former employers to recruit Milos Kerkez over the summer period.
Bournemouth’s willingness to allow Kerkez and fellow prized assets Illia Zabarnyi and Dean Huijsen to depart during the most recent transfer window suggests that they will cash in on Semenyo when the time is right.
Liverpool could view the versatile winger as an heir to Mohamed Salah’s throne long term, with the Egyptian’s recent form suggesting a succession could be closer than many predicted. However, having spent a record sum over the summer, the Reds can ill-afford to burn a hole in their pockets during the winter window.
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