Man Utd ‘present offer’ to hijack Liverpool transfer with one club ‘leading race’ for one reason | OneFootball

According to reports, Manchester United have ‘presented an offer’ as they look to beat Liverpool in the race to sign Antoine Semenyo from AFC Bournemouth.

Semenyo has been linked with several Premier League clubs in recent weeks as he has been one of this season’s standout performers in the division.

The 25-year-old was a consistent performer during his first two seasons at Bournemouth, but he has taken his game to another level this year.

The Bournemouth sensation has six goals and three assists for Bournemouth in the Premier League this season and Andoni Iraola’s side face a fight to keep him in January.

This is because Liverpool and Man Utd are among the clubs linked with Semenyo, who has a £65m release clause that can be activated during the January transfer window.

For Liverpool, Semenyo has been mooted as a potential long-term replacement for Mohamed Salah, who has suffered a massive decline since winning the Premier League Player of the Season award in 2025/26.

It has been widely reported that the Reds are laying the groundwork to sign Semenyo in January as a signing to get the club back on track amid a dire run of nine losses in 12 Premier League games.

However, Man Utd also appear to be keen on signing Semenyo as they are currently reliant on a couple of key performers in attacking areas and were toothless in forward areas in the disappointing 1-0 loss to 10-man Everton on Monday night.

Now, a report from a transfer insider on X with over 680k followers and a ‘team of five elite reporters’ claims Man Utd have submitted an ‘offer’ to sign Semenyo, but Liverpool are ‘leading the race’.

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They explained on X: ‘According to sources that Manchester United has made a move for Antoine Semenyo, presenting a contract offer to his agent.

‘Reports confirm that a meeting took place on Wednesday between United officials and the agent, signaling their interest.

‘However, it’s important to note that United isn’t the frontrunner for his signature ✍️

‘The talks are still ongoing, but Liverpool is currently leading the race, having made the most progress in negotiations.’

Ex-Arsenal and Man City star Bacary Sagna has explained why Semenyo should “stay at Bournemouth” until the summer, though he would take Man Utd to the next level.

“If I was Antoine Semenyo, I would stay at Bournemouth until the end of the season,” Sagna said.

“As a player, moving clubs in the January transfer window can be disruptive; it’s much better to stay until the summer and then make a decision, and integrate into the team properly – rather than joining midway through a campaign.

“Looking forward, if he was to leave Bournemouth and stay in the Premier League, I think Manchester United would be a suitable option for him.

“He could definitely help the club get back to the top end of the league and if he did join them, he’d be regarded as the player which made the difference and take United to the next level.

“He’s young, fresh and has proven he can shine in big games this season – so I think Old Trafford could be a good destination for him.”