Anfield Index
·1 October 2026
Report: Liverpool eyeing moves for two Manchester City stars

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·1 October 2026

Liverpool’s latest link with Antoine Semenyo offers an intriguing possibility for Andoni Iraola. A forward who flourished under him at Bournemouth, already understands his demands and can operate across the attack would merit consideration if he became available.
Availability, however, is the question around which this story turns.
The suggestion that Manchester City’s financial case could create opportunities for rival clubs remains speculative. For Liverpool, the attraction of a player and the circumstances required to sign him are still some distance apart.

Photo: IMAGO
The transfer claim originates from indykaila on X, with the account said to have described Liverpool as “keeping tabs” on Semenyo and Jeremy Doku should City need to sell players.
That wording deserves careful treatment. Monitoring a situation does not establish that Liverpool have approached City, contacted either player or prepared an offer.
Nor does it demonstrate that City intend to sanction departures. The proposed opportunity depends on developments beyond the transfer market, including the eventual consequences of the club’s disciplinary case.
There is a plausible reason for recruitment teams to remain attentive. Unexpected changes at another club can alter which players become attainable. But a plausible scenario is still some way from an active negotiation.
Semenyo’s history with Iraola provides the strongest footballing argument behind the Liverpool link.
Manchester City confirmed his arrival from Bournemouth in January 2026, highlighting the progress he made after Iraola took charge on the south coast. Liverpool subsequently appointed the Spanish coach ahead of the 2026/27 season.
That shared experience would offer a useful starting point for any reunion. Iraola would already know how Semenyo responds to instruction, the responsibilities he can handle and the situations in which he is most effective.
Semenyo’s comfort using either foot also broadens the tactical possibilities. He can threaten inside or outside a defender, making him an interesting option for a side seeking flexibility across its forward line.
Familiarity alone would not make a transfer straightforward. Liverpool would still need to assess his role, cost and willingness to move, while City’s position would be fundamental.
Doku presents a different recruitment discussion.
His ability to beat defenders can change the shape of a match, forcing opponents to provide additional cover and creating space elsewhere. Those qualities would appeal to many coaches.
For Liverpool, the question would be how often he could deliver them in the role available.
Although Doku has experience on both flanks, adding another player comfortable attacking from the left would require a clear explanation of how the forward line should develop.
Recruitment should account for the minutes available, the combinations a coach wants and the opportunities younger players need. An established international can still be an awkward addition if his preferred work overlaps too heavily with existing options.
That makes Semenyo’s familiarity with Iraola a relevant distinction, without proving that either player is a target.
The original suggestion that the Premier League had yet to issue an official verdict has been overtaken by events.
On 29 September, the league published the independent commission’s findings against City concerning serious financial breaches. Punishment is to be addressed separately, while City maintain their innocence and have stated their intention to pursue appeals.
Those developments do not establish that an emergency sale of players will follow.
Liverpool may eventually face an opportunity worth exploring. Semenyo’s relationship with Iraola gives that possibility an obvious footballing appeal. Until there is firmer evidence of availability and concrete interest, though, a reunion remains a transfer hypothesis rather than a developing deal.







































