January transfer on the cards: Liverpool handed major boost in pursuit of £65m ‘game changer’.
Liverpool seem to have received a major boost in their pursuit of a reported Anfield transfer target.
According to Lewis Steele, the Reds are definitely interested in bringing Antoine Semenyo to Merseyside in 2026, although he dismissed claims that the Bournemouth attacker has formally requested to leave the club. Arsenal and both Manchester sides are also believed to be in the race for the 25-year-old (Daily Briefing), who sits joint-third in the Premier League scoring charts with six goals.
Liverpool encouraged in Semenyo chase
On Monday night, David Ornstein of The Athletic delivered a noteworthy update that’ll no doubt catch Liverpool’s attention. Bournemouth reportedly accept that they may be unable to prevent Semenyo leaving in January, even though they’d prefer to keep him until the end of the 2025/26 campaign.
The forward signed a new contract in July which includes a £65m release clause that must be triggered by a specific deadline in the winter window, giving the Cherries enough time to find a replacement if he departs mid-season.
Why Liverpool must not repeat the Guehi mistake
With Ornstein’s credibility, this update appears solid — and Bournemouth seem to be preparing for the possibility that their No.24 could be sold next month. Semenyo has been labelled a “game changer” with the perfect mix of power and technique by The Athletic’s Thom Harris.
Liverpool now know the exact figure required if they want him in January, but they can’t afford a repeat of the failed Marc Guehi chase in the summer, when their late approach allowed Crystal Palace to back out due to a lack of replacement options.
The Reds actually travel to Bournemouth on the weekend of 24/25 January, so sporting director Richard Hughes could be eyeing a deal wrapped up before then — both to strengthen Liverpool and ensure the champions don’t face Semenyo in that fixture.
With Bournemouth aware they may lose him and the £65m clause giving a clear route to completing a transfer, the door is open for Liverpool — but the same opportunity also exists for every other club chasing the Ghanaian star.
