Liverpool in 'strong position' to sign 'lovely boy' as Slot learns when another €115m deal can happen

Liverpool are reported to be leading the race to sign Antoine Semenyo and beat a host of rivals to his signature, and with Bournemouth’s managing director dropping a little tease over when the Reds could potentially land their dream Mo Salah replacement.

Salah has written himself in the Anfield history books off the back of a brilliant eight-year stay at Anfield, where he has helped the club win seven major honours and scored a whopping 248 goals in 411 appearances. Now third on the club’s all-time top scorers list, Liverpool moved to extend the Egyptian superstar’s contract by two more years this summer, meaning he could complete a decade-long service to the club should he stay to the end.

However, like anything in life, nothing lasts forever and the Premier League champions know that, before too long, they will soon need to consider the star best equipped to step into his shoes.

And while Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise has been mentioned strongly in recent weeks, it is Bournemouth star Semenyo who now appears the name on everyone’s lips.

The 25-year-old is currently in red-hot form and is second only to Erling Haaland in terms of goals and assists in the Premier League this season.

And with six goals in eight appearances to his name so far, a plethora of clubs has been strongly linked with his signature, with the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur among those keen.

However, according to talkSPORT, it is Liverpool at the front of the queue and currently seen as being in a ‘strong position’ to sign him.

Now rated upwards of £75m and potentially as high as £100m (€115m, $133.5m), it’s reported that the relationship between the player and Reds’ sporting director Richard Hughes gives Liverpool a big advantage in the transfer race.

Furthermore, the Cherries’ managing director Tiago Pinto has dropped a little tease over when they may need to cash in on a player he has branded both “amazing” and a “lovely boy”….

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Liverpool chances of signing Antoine Semenyo assessed

Indeed, with Semenyo having been courted by several sides this summer, Bournemouth managed to not only ward off his suitors but also convince the player to commit to a new and improved deal through to 2030.

Now Pinto has admitted his delight at keeping the player for “one more year” and potentially dropping a hint that a summer 2026 move may well be on the cards.

“Antoine has been amazing this season,” Pinto told talkSPORT.

“I think he’s a lovely player, a lovely boy. For us, it was amazing to feel that he would be happy to stay one more season even if other clubs were around him.

“I think he scored eight or nine goals this season, so we couldn’t be more happy.”

TEAMtalk understands that Semenyo’s ability to play off either flank, cut in and score goals means he is emerging as their number one target to replace Salah at Anfield and scouts have been regularly tracking his progress in recent weeks.

And according to Fraser Fletcher, Semenyo’s ability to drift in from the right and deliver in clutch moments mirrors Salah’s game, making him an ideal understudy.

Sources suggest Liverpool’s recruitment team, led by former Bournemouth chief Hughes, is confident of leveraging past ties to lure the forward to Anfield.

However, sources are adamant he will not be sold mid-season, particularly with Bournemouth having ambitions to secure the club a first ever place in European football next season.

With the Cherries under no pressure to sell mid-season, and with manager Andoni Iraola building a project around his star man, a source told TEAMtalk: “Antoine’s integral to our vision.

“We’re chasing Europe, and he’s not going anywhere easily.”

Fletcher then explains that Semenyo himself is torn.

‘The former Bristol City gem, who once trialled at Crystal Palace, craves the chance to shine on the biggest stages – be it the Champions League or a Premier League title race.

‘His 13-goal haul across all competitions last season was a prelude to his current dominance, but loyalty to Iraola, who has elevated him to new heights, weighs heavily.

‘As January approaches, whispers of a potential move grow louder, with Semenyo’s camp open to exploring options if a top club meets Bournemouth’s steep demands.’

However, a move mid-season is unlikely, though the Reds could very well look to make their move by the time summer 2026 rolls around.

Salah’s poor form dissected; Liverpool prep move for Bayern star

Talk of a move for Semenyo has grown louder in recent days off the back of some unusually poor form for Liverpool shown by Salah.

Off the back of that, we’ve taken a deep dive into his struggles at Anfield in recent weeks, naming eight reasons behind his poor form under Slot right now.

That comes off the back of a transfer journalist astonishingly claiming that the sale of the Egyptian superstar cannot be ruled out in 2026 and before his deal expires and with his Anfield ‘endgame’ in sight..

Elsewhere, sources understand Liverpool are ready to ‘move quickly’ to sign another Bayern Munich star in January, with a Real Madrid move igniting a complex triple transfer move.

And finally, Alexander Isak’s involvement in an open-goal miss drew boos on Friday night as the Swedish media reacted to the Liverpool striker’s first full 90 of the season.

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