“There is an opportunity…”: Liverpool receive major boost in pursuit of “clinical” international forward

Arne Slot. (REUTERS)

Liverpool’s title defence has unravelled far quicker than anyone anticipated.

After Arne Slot’s brilliant debut campaign ended with Premier League glory, many expected the Reds to kick on. Instead, the 2025/26 season has become a worrying slide.

Five defeats in their last seven outings — including a bruising 3-0 loss to Manchester City — have left Liverpool stranded in 8th place.

A leaky back line, with both Ibrahima Konaté and Virgil van Dijk struggling for consistency, has hurt them badly. In attack, the issues are just as troubling: Hugo Ekitike has been a bright spark, but Alexander Isak’s repeated injuries and poor form and Mohamed Salah’s decline have left the frontline blunt and disjointed.

It’s little surprise, then, that the club are now intensifying their search for another forward — and they may have just received the encouragement they needed.

Liverpool have been handed a major boost in their attempts to sign Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo, who has been one of the Premier League’s most in-form wide forwards this season.

The Ghana international — described as “clinical” by teammate Lewis Cook — has enjoyed a blistering start to the campaign, producing six goals and three assists in 11 league matches, which has naturally led to interest from several top clubs, including Manchester United.

But Liverpool may have just gained an edge.

Bournemouth general manager Tim Bezbatchenko, speaking on the Business of Sport podcast, explained the club’s stance when big sides come knocking for their top performers — and his words will be music to Liverpool’s ears.

“When a club like Real Madrid, Liverpool, Paris Saint-Germain come in and they are competing for Champions League positions, who are we to say, ‘No, you cannot go, you cannot fulfil your dream’,” said Bezbatchenko.

He continued: “No it would not be like that for all clubs because not everyone is Real Madrid. But there is an opportunity and everybody wins, right? I think that’s what we’re trying to find, this commonality where everybody can win.”

Bournemouth’s openness to selling when the right club calls suggests Liverpool could realistically prize Semenyo away — especially with the player entering his prime and the Reds in desperate need of fresh attacking quality.

With Liverpool’s season slipping away fast, a “clinical” and athletic forward like Semenyo could arrive at exactly the right moment.

Barnaby Lane is a highly experienced sports writer who has written for The Times, FourFourTwo Magazine, Sports Illustrated, TalkSPORT, and Business Insider.

Over the years, he's had the pleasure of interviewing some of the biggest names in world sport, including Usain Bolt, Rafael Nadal, Christian Pulisic, and more.