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Liverpool have been linked with a move for Antoine Semenyo but are they really interested in signing the Bournemouth winger?
Liverpool have a few big decisions to make in January with Arne Slot looking like he has turned a corner in terms of results and performances.
Not many onlookers would have predicted that by December, both Alexander Isak and Mohamed Salah would be out of the strongest XI available to the Reds boss and yet this is the situation ahead of the transfer window opening. Numerous centre-halves have been linked with midfield targets like Ederson also emerging, but it is on the wing where there could be a surprise.
Are Liverpool really interested in Antoine Semenyo?
Three of Europe’s best have been mentioned with Yan Diomande, Rodrygo and Michael Olise all providing the type of quality that could eventually soften the blow of Salah making an inevitable move to the Saudi Pro League. The name that is mentioned most often though is that of Antoine Semenyo, however, according to journalist David Lynch, speaking to the Anfield Index YouTube channel, Richard Hughes might not be as interested as is being so widely reported: "From speaking to people, they say it's very much Bournemouth driving up the noise. You can understand why that would be. I have personal questions just from analysing him as a player as to whether he would work for Liverpool. Just putting those two together, I'm just a little bit like, is this not just noise?"
Bournemouth’s plan appears to be to see out the £65m release clause for Semenyo in the hope that a bidding war takes place in the second half of the window, even if it means that they don’t have as much time to find a replacement.
Should Liverpool sign Semenyo?
Liverpool have already tried to replace Mo Salah during the summer by adding goals and assists via signing two more clinical no.9s and Florian Wirtz. On paper, it was a solid plan and one that should have paid off with Hugo Ekitike proving to be an upgrade on Darwin Nunez. The problem has been how slowly Isak has got up to speed and the lack of numbers from Wirtz, despite his positive overall standard of play.
Slot has started to drag Liverpool up the table and he has done so without wingers. Sememyo isn’t the type of player who will link play and create assists and he also isn’t anywhere near the level of Salah, Rodrygo or Olise, players with a proven quality at the highest level of football on the European and international stage. If there is still plenty of money in the pot after a record spend in the summer then £65m isn’t a bad fee to pay for someone who knows the Premier League well but there are better options available by spending just a little more.
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