Image Credits: Imago Images
While Liverpool traditionally avoid the January transfer window, preferring to conduct business in the summer months, the club has occasionally made strategic exceptions when opportunities align perfectly.
The most notable examples include Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo, both marquee signings secured during the 2022 and 2023 winter windows.
And while the club are not anticipated to do any major first-team business this January, the club are doing the groundwork for next summer.
Indeed, DaveOCKOP can exclusively reveal that Liverpool will conduct preliminary talks with Bournemouth this weekend over the signing of Antoine Semenyo.
The dialogue is purely exploratory, with the Anfield club wanting to gauge the interest and demands of the club for the 25-year-old’s services.
Liverpool’s sporting director Richard Hughes, who played a key role in signing Semenyo at Bournemouth from Bristol City for a modest £10.5 million back in 2023, is believed to remain a strong admirer of the 25-year-old.
It is thought that the Cherries would demand around £75million for the Ghana international should Liverpool decide to formalise their interest.
The forward signed a new five-year contract with Bournemouth over the summer running until 2030, meaning the club will have their work cut out to convince the south-coast club to sell.
Of course, Liverpool will also need to agree personal terms with the player and his representatives if and when Bournemouth accept any potential bids put on the table by The Reds for Antoine Semenyo.
However, Bournemouth general manager Tim Bezbatchenko recently admitted that his side would not deny their players bigger moves elsewhere:
“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’,” he said.
“No it wouldn’t be like that for all clubs because not everyone is Real Madrid.”
“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.”
Antoine Semenyo has scored 6 goals and provided 3 assists in 11 Premier League appearances for Bournemouth this season.
That averages out to a goal or assist every 110 minutes for manager Andoni Iraola.
Within the Liverpool sqaud, Mohamed Salah is the next closest with 183 minutes per goal contribution
The pacey winger can operate on either flank or even as a central striker.
While a January move appears improbable, Liverpool’s admiration for Semenyo suggests a summer approach is far more realistic.
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