Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo has reportedly made it clear that his preference is to join Manchester City in January, with Liverpool having decided against pursuing a £65million deal for the Ghana international.
The 25-year-old is one of the most sought-after players ahead of the January transfer window, with several clubs aware that he can be signed for £65million due to a release clause in his Bournemouth contract.
Liverpool were among the clubs to show interest, alongside Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Manchester United.
However, according to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, Semenyo has now settled on a move to Manchester City, although no agreement has yet been reached between the clubs.
Ornstein reports that the forward’s “desire to win trophies” has played a key role in shaping his preference for Pep Guardiola’s side, who would significantly strengthen their Premier League title bid by adding him to their squad.
Further clarity on Liverpool’s stance has been provided by talkSPORT’s Alex Crook, who reported on X that the Reds “decided not to pursue a move a while back,” with multiple sources suggesting the club’s most recent contact regarding Antoine Semenyo came in November.
Liverpool were previously believed to have held discussions over personal terms in order to outline the framework of a potential deal that would need to be finalised early in the January window.
However, the club now appear set to either explore alternative targets or place their trust in existing attacking options, despite Alexander Isak’s long-term injury.
Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola and Real Madrid forward Rodrygo were both named as possible targets during the summer, though it remains to be seen whether either will be revisited.
At the time, Liverpool’s decision-making was also influenced by a reluctance to sign another left-sided attacker following the sale of Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich, with the club keen to avoid blocking the pathway of highly rated youngster Rio Ngumoha.
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