Man City 3-0 Liverpool: Match Review
Liverpool have been linked with Antoine Semenyo ahead of the January transfer window and he could be someone that helps the Champions League ambitions.
Plenty might have expected Liverpool's January transfer window to be dormant.
Given how busy the Reds were in the summer, certainly another hectic period of trading can be ruled out. But as the new year draws closer, there is a growing feeling that Liverpool may be active in the market again.
There will scarcely be another squad overhaul. Yet the Reds' Premier League title defence so far suggests that there are gaps to plug and areas that can improve.
Plenty of fans will be hoping that Liverpool revive their interest in Marc Guehi after the 11th-hour collapse on summer transfer deadline day. Ibrahima Konate's form in central defence has come under scrutiny. The sentiment has been that the Reds will not pursue Guehi until the end of the season when he is out of contract at Crystal Palace. Given Liverpool are eight points behind league leaders Arsenal and have conceded 17 goals in 11 matches, there is an argument that another swoop should be made.
The Reds are typically opportunistic in the transfer market. It is a word that Richard Hughes used in his one and only public appearance since being appointed sporting director. Arne Slot has also said similar in his plethora of press conferences.
In January 2022, Liverpool swooped for Luis Diaz from Porto despite having an already potent and famed front three of Mo Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino. The following year, the Reds surprisingly made a move to bring in Cody Gakpo from PSV Eindhoven. Those transfers might have been under former manager Jurgen Klopp but owners Fenway Sports Group will not have changed their stance.
It is why a potential deal for Antoine Semenyo is not regarded as fanciful. He ticks plenty of boxes that Liverpool look for in terms of their recruitment. The only negative is that he might be a year or two older than they'd like. But with the Reds needing a long-term successor for Mo Salah and failing to properly replace the attributes of Diaz after his sale to Bayern Munich, Semenyo's performances for AFC Bournemouth suggest he could be ideal.
With a £65 million release clause active in January, Liverpool will know that there might not be another chance to recruit the Ghana international. His release clause reportedly drops next summer but rival clubs are hovering. That is scarcely a shock given that Semenyo has been one of the premium forwards in the Premier League this season.
In truth, it is unlikely that Semenyo would be Liverpool's saviour that sees them go on an unlikely perfect streak in the Premier League and catch Arsenal. However, what it would give the Reds is a period for Semenyo to acclimatise. And they would have another weapon in the Champions League.
Plenty concur that Liverpool’s squad is more suited to Europe than domestically. Liverpool’s physical deficiencies in the Premier League are exploited nowhere near as much as in the Champions League. It’s a chief reason why Florian Wirtz has thrived. Slot’s side have already defeated Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Eintracht Frankfurt, while a 1-0 loss at Galatasaray was decided by a controversial penalty. The Reds’ fear factor may not hold as much weight in the Premier League but they will still be feared on the continent, especially if they earn victories in upcoming matches against PSV Eindhoven and last year’s finalists Inter Milan.
It was Paris Saint-Germain who beat Inter in last season’s showpiece. The French outfit also knocked Liverpool out on penalties in the last 16 en route to winning their maiden European Cup.
During the league phase, few sides would have tipped PSG to achieve glory. Luis Enrique’s side finished 15th in the table, losing three of their eight matches and required the play-offs to move into the knockout stage. PSG were given a kind draw against fellow French side Brest. Had they met the likes of Real Madrid, Bayern Munich or Manchester City, it could well have been different.
There is no disputing that PSG did not deserve to win the Champions League in the end. In the knockout stages, they dealt with Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal before thrashing Inter 5-0 in the final.
A key part of PSG’s triumphs in the second half of the campaign were the performances of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. His arrival from Napoli for a reported £59 million proved to be important as it enhanced the Parisians’ impressive forward options of Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola.
Kvaratskhelia certainly made his mark in Europe. Only for Alisson Becker’s heroics did the Georgia international not score in Liverpool’s 1-0 win over PSG in the first leg. The Georgia international then bagged in a 3-1 victory against Aston Villa in the quarter-final first leg before assisting Dembele’s goal in a 1-0 triumph against Arsenal in the semi-final second leg at the Emirates Stadium. Then, in the final, Kvaratskhelia bagged the fourth goal of the rout.
During that run to the silverware, Kvaratskhelia operated in both wide positions and has continued to be versatile this season for PSG, producing three goals and three assists in 14 games. Last season, he not only helped PSG to conquer Europe but win Ligue 1 and the French cup.
Unlike the likes of Florian Wirtz, who has had to acclimatise to the Premier League, Semenyo would be able to make a swift impact. While Liverpool are not regarded to be in the title race, they may well have a battle to finish in the top four if things do not improve. And they would have another weapon in the competition they look more likely to go all the way in.
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