Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City, hugged Arne Slot, Manager of Liverpool. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Bournemouth are preparing for a late move from Liverpool to land Antoine Semenyo, despite growing speculation that the player is closing in on a move to Manchester City.
According to The Telegraph, the Cherries believe Liverpool could still enter the race with a formal bid as the January transfer window approaches.
Semenyo has been one of the best players for Bournemouth this season, and his explosiveness has put him at the top of the Premier League.
Although it is widely reported that the player prefers to join Pep Guardiola’s Man City side, a recent report has revealed that Semenyo’s long-time supporters, Liverpool, could join the race at the last minute and try to hijack his move to the Etihad Stadium.
Liverpool are entering the race to sign Antoine Semenyo
In recent days, the narrative surrounding Semenyo’s future has largely hinged on City.
Guardiola’s side are understood to be the most improved so far, and the player himself is keen to settle his future quickly.
Semenyo is reported to want clarity on January 1, especially as his £65 million release clause will expire shortly after the window opens, giving interested clubs a small window to make a move without entering into lengthy negotiations with Bournemouth.
However, Liverpool’s interest should not be dismissed. The sporting director, Richard Hughes, is well aware of Semenyo’s profile and is believed to be monitoring the situation closely.
Hughes’ familiarity with the Bournemouth set-up and the player himself could prove decisive if Liverpool choose to push late on.
While the Reds have appeared to cool their interest in recent weeks, the situation could change quickly, especially if Liverpool’s attacking options are affected by injuries.
From Bournemouth’s point of view, losing Semenyo was always a possibility this winter.
The team has long accepted that his performance will attract high-profile attention, and is preparing for his departure.
Bournemouth prepare for Semenyo’s exit
However, they are determined to ensure that any exit takes place on their terms, financially and on time.
Ideally, Bournemouth would like to keep Semenyo available for key games in early January before allowing him to complete a move.
Semenyo himself is now faced with a major career decision. Man City offer the allure of competing for major trophies under Guardiola, but fitting into an already loaded attacking team can be a challenge.
Liverpool, in contrast, could outline a clear path to regular minutes under Arne Slot, as the club continue to rebuild their squad following the first half of the season.
Liverpool have sent 70 million euros to sign the “extraordinary” French international
