Antoine Semenyo REJECTED Liverpool for Man City because of ONE reason as extraordinary hijack claim emerges | OneFootball

Antoine Semenyo turned down the chance to join Liverpool and work with manager Arne Slot because of salary issues, according to a source, and while another journalist has suggested that Fenway Sports Group (FSG) could still hijack the deal, TEAMtalk can reveal how Manchester City feel about getting a deal done for the winger.

Semenyo has been making the headlines for the past few weeks, with Liverpool, Manchester United, Man City and Tottenham Hotspur all keen. The winger has a release clause of £65million (€74.6m, $87.5m) in his contract at Bournemouth, and all the aforementioned clubs believe that the Ghana international is worth it.

Liverpool had been keen on signing Semenyo, with transfer guru Fabrizio Romano revealing that the defending Premier League champions had been making calls.

However, sources told TEAMtalk on December 31 that Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG) were not willing to spend big in the January transfer window, after splashing £440m (€505m, $600m) on new players in the summer of 2025.

With FSG adamant that Mohamed Salah will not leave in the January transfer window, there is no immediate need for manager Slot and sporting director Richard Hughes to bring in a new winger.

We understand that Liverpool would have been open to triggering Semenyo’s release clause in the summer of 2026.

A new report has now claimed that Semenyo turned down the chance to join Liverpool because Man City offered him a higher salary.

DaveOCKOP, a Liverpool-centric news outlet with almost 600,000 followers on X, has claimed that Liverpool were not willing to match the £180,000-a-week salary that Semenyo will get at Man City.

The outlet wrote on X at 11:52am on January 3: ‘It is believed that Manchester City are willing to pay Antoine Semenyo around £180,000 per week with additional bonuses.

‘Liverpool were not willing to match those figures. The Reds held talks months ago and Semenyo was keen on a move to Anfield.

‘City entered the race with a large salary offer. Liverpool’s interest cooled as did not want to get into a battle with City who were offering such a high package to the player.’

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Antoine Semenyo WILL join Man City – sources

There have been suggestions that Liverpool could still make a late attempt to convince Semenyo to move to Anfield.

According to journalist Mark Ogden, there is still a chance that Liverpool might come in for the winger.

Ogden said on Sky Sports’ Indo Sport podcast, which was released on Friday: “I do think it will get done, but I’d be surprised if he plays tomorrow [Saturday vs Arsenal].

“But if that’s what Bournemouth and Iraola want him to do, then he’ll play, and it could put things at risk.

“But I think City, obviously, they’re prepared to trigger the release clause, so I don’t quite know what the delay is.

“If the escape clause is triggered, then there’s not really much to negotiate, so there is a sense that Liverpool might come in, but it seems that Semenyo has made his decision, and he’s going to go to City.”

Bournemouth will take on Arsenal at the Vitality Stadium in the Premier League on Saturday evening.

Cherries manager Andoni Iraola has said that Semenyo will be part of his squad.

Sources have told TEAMtalk’s transfer insider, Graeme Bailey, that Semenyo is ‘furious’ that he is being forced to play against Arsenal on Saturday and then against Tottenham Hotspur next Wednesday.

While Semenyo would rather not play in the two games, the winger will not refuse to do so and will make himself available.

We understand that Man City and Bournemouth are now formalising their contracts over Semenyo, who has already agreed on personal terms with Pep Guardiola’s side.