In a major twist that could shake up the January transfer window, Manchester City are reportedly close to hijacking Liverpool\u2019s pursuit of Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo \u2014 a player Arne Slot had earmarked as a priority signing this winter.<\/p>\n
City are said to be ready to activate the \u00a365 million release clause in the Ghanaian attacker\u2019s deal, a move that has taken Liverpool\u2019s hierarchy by surprise.<\/p>\n
Semenyo has been a long-term target for the Reds, with Sporting Director Richard Hughes spearheading the chase. The 25-year-old has been in outstanding form this season, recording six goals and three assists in the Premier League, and was viewed as the perfect solution ahead of Mohamed Salah\u2019s expected participation in the Africa Cup of Nations.<\/p>\n
But with City now preparing a decisive move, Liverpool have been forced to urgently rethink their January plans, according to sources within the agents\u2019 circle who spoke to CaughtOffside.<\/p>\n
Insiders at Anfield say the club has already activated a contingency plan \u2014 a prepared shortlist of immediate and future options to ensure the team stays competitive both domestically and in Europe.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Liverpool\u2019s shortlist of alternative targets<\/p>\n
Kenan Y\u0131ld\u0131z (Juventus) \u2013 The 18-year-old Turkish prodigy is seen as a long-term project. Having already broken a Juventus record previously held by Alessandro Del Piero, he is viewed as one of Serie A\u2019s most exciting young attackers. Liverpool believe he could develop into a top-class forward under Slot, though Juventus are expected to resist any mid-season offers.<\/p>\n
Rodrygo (Real Madrid) \u2013 Another top-tier option, Rodrygo is reportedly open to a potential Premier League move amid uncertainty over his role at Real Madrid. Liverpool have made informal contact with his camp, but whether Madrid would sanction a sale remains unclear. His Champions League pedigree and versatility across the front line, however, make him an attractive fit.<\/p>\n
Iliman Ndiaye (Everton) \u2013 Viewed as the most attainable short-term replacement, Ndiaye offers similar qualities to Semenyo and fits Slot\u2019s tactical requirements with his pace and creativity. However, the rivalry with Everton makes negotiations complex despite Liverpool\u2019s strong interest.<\/p>\n
Michael Olise (Bayern Munich) \u2013 The French winger, who only joined Bayern last summer, is seen as Liverpool\u2019s \u201cdream target\u201d for 2026. His technique, flair, and modern wide-forward profile make him a potential long-term successor to Salah. A move in January, though, is highly unlikely.<\/p>\n
Liverpool\u2019s next steps<\/p>\n
Liverpool\u2019s reaction to City\u2019s attempted Semenyo steal could define their entire winter window. Slot and Hughes are said to be in close dialogue with FSG to secure backing for a major attacking addition, especially with the Premier League title race and Champions League knockout rounds on the horizon.<\/p>\n
Should City complete the deal, it would add another chapter to the growing rivalry between the clubs \u2014 one increasingly fought off the pitch as much as on it.<\/p>\n
For now, Liverpool remain determined: whether they pivot to Y\u0131ld\u0131z, Rodrygo, Ndiaye, or Olise, the club intends to move quickly to address the void and ensure their front line stays dangerous during Salah\u2019s AFCON absence.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In a major twist that could shake up the January transfer window, Manchester City are reportedly close to hijacking Liverpool\u2019s pursuit of Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo \u2014 a player Arne Slot had earmarked as a priority signing this winter. City are said to be ready to activate the \u00a365 million release clause in the Ghanaian …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":55839,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-55833","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/eplbanter.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/COS-FeaturedHero-Image-Templates-2-1-1200x722.jpg.webp","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/eplbanter.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55833","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/eplbanter.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/eplbanter.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eplbanter.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eplbanter.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=55833"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/eplbanter.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55833\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":55842,"href":"https:\/\/eplbanter.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55833\/revisions\/55842"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eplbanter.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/55839"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/eplbanter.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=55833"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eplbanter.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=55833"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eplbanter.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=55833"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}