When Liverpool kicked off against Bournemouth in August, the Premier League cowered against Arne Slot's title-winning side, who had so confidently won the previous edition and then made sweeping summer additions.
But many things, for different reasons, have gone wrong for the Anfield side. Several superstar signings, such as Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, have yet to hit their stride and prove to the Reds that they are worth the sum total of £241m.
Recent wins over Inter Milan and Brighton & Hove Albion, clean sheets in both, have provided a good foundation for the Merseyside club to build on going forward.
However, Liverpool can only go so far given the tactical imbalances in Slot's squad. Much has been made of the lack of defensive depth, but the failure to directly replace Luis Diaz is proving a leech on the side of Slot's set-up, and that's why there is a vested interest in signing Antoine Semenyo this January.
Why Liverpool want Antoine Semenyo
Liverpool are just one team in a pool of suitors for Semenyo's signature this winter. However, FSG and sporting director Richard Hughes believe they have the lead in the race, with the Bournemouth forward leaning toward a move to Anfield.
Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo
Semenyo's £65m release clause becomes active in January. He has scored six goals and supplied three more in the Premier League this season, with teammate Justin Kluivert marvelling at his "world-class" partner's consistency and influence.
Liverpool could do a lot worse. Slot knows first hand the impact the 25-year-old can have in the Premier League, such explosiveness and dynamism when surging forward, on the right flank or the left.
Liverpool did not replace Luis Diaz when they sold him to Bayern Munich in August, and now they are looking to amend that. However, Semenyo isn't the only talented winger on the market; there is another who has been earmarked and might actually be the better pick.
Liverpool could sign a Semenyo upgrade
Semenyo is the talk of the town in the Premier League, but he's not the only good winger who FSG could add to Slot's Liverpool squad.
Bradley Barcola, for example, might be an alternative who could actually prove an upgrade on the Ghana international, who has not yet tried his hand at the highest level.
bradley-barcola-psg
The 23-year-old is establishing himself as one of the most exciting forwards in Europe, and Liverpool are aware of this, with Caught Offside reporting last week that FSG are chasing their long-standing interest in the Frenchman as they sound out alternatives to Semenyo.
Recent sources suggest that a figure in the ballpark of £100m could be needed to convince PSG to part with one of their most exciting prospects, a player who had a vocal contribution to last year's quadruple-winning success.
Is Barcola the finished product? No he is not. But even so, this Les Bleus winger is establishing himself as a superstar in the making, actually described as "one of the best left-wingers in Europe" already by analyst Ben Mattinson.
Last season, he scored 21 goals and supplied 21 assists for Luis Enrique's side. This year, Barcola has bagged five goals from 13 matches in Ligue 1, starting nine of those games.
Looking at the sum of his quality, it's clear to see that Barcola has more athleticism and roundedness across the park, and his natural wellspring of creativity could be perfect for a striker like Isak, who has only scored one Premier League goal this season.
Antoine Semenyo vs Bradley Barcola (past 12 months)
Stats (per 90)
Goals scored
Assists
Shots taken
Shot-creating actions
Touches (att pen)
Pass completion (%)
Progressive passes
Progressive carries
Successful take-ons
Ball recoveries
Tackles + interceptions
Data via FBref
Isak is one of the best forwards in the world. Liverpool paid a lot of money for his goals. But this season, it's been difficult for the Sweden international, who is struggling to adapt, struggling to restore his finest form and fitness levels.
Still, his movement and anticipation are second to none when he is on his A-game. A creator like Barcola beside him, naturally disposed toward wing play, could prove the formula to bring back his blistering form in the final third. He might be a better pick than Semenyo.
Alexander Isak 2024-25 season in numbers (timeless)
Of course, one of these wingers plays for Bournemouth on the English south coast, while the other stars for PSG, widely regarded as the most accomplished and devastating outfit last season; perhaps that is still the case.
But Barcola's talent is evident. This is a star worth getting behind, and he would be worth the extra pennies, should FSG decide to move for him over Semenyo.
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