Liverpool stung by Man Utd ‘calls’ for Mo Salah successor as FSG plan January raid for £20m defender | OneFootball

Liverpool have been rocked by Fabrizio Romano’s latest revelation about Manchester United and Antoine Semenyo, as manager Arne Slot and sporting director Richard Hughes plan to bid for Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi.

Even before Mo Salah’s public fall-out with manager Slot, Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes was already on the lookout for a long-term successor to the Egyptian winger.

TEAMtalk understands that Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo is a top target for Liverpool, with our transfer correspondent, Graeme Bailey, reporting on December 9 that Anfield is his ‘preferred destination’.

We have also reported Manchester United and Manchester City’s interest in Semenyo, who has a release clause of £65million (€74m / $87m) in his contract at Bournemouth.

Liverpool ‘assessing’ Antoine Semenyo situation after Man Utd ‘calls’

Our transfer insider, Dean Jones, has reported that Man Utd sources insist that the club have ‘the capability to meet’ Semenyo’s clause in January, with Red Devils manager Ruben Amorim keen on the winger.

It now seems that the Red Devils are pressing ahead with their quest to beat the likes of Liverpool, Man City and Tottenham Hotspur to Semenyo’s signature.

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has now revealed that Man Utd made “calls” this week about Semenyo, and so did Man City.

The news will come as a blow for Liverpool and will, perhaps, hasten them to make a firm decision on whether or not to trigger the winger’s release clause.

Romano said on his YouTube channel: “This week again, Manchester United and Manchester City called to understand the situation of Semenyo.

“Between Monday and Tuesday, some calls took place from Man United and Man City to understand the situation of Semenyo – £65m release clause.

“These clubs all called. Liverpool already called in November, but Liverpool are now assessing what they want to do, in January and also what’s going to happen with Mo Salah before deciding on Semenyo.”

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Liverpool plan January bid for Marc Guehi

Like Semenyo, Liverpool are also keen on a 2026 deal for Crystal Palace defender Guehi.

Guehi is out of contract at Crystal Palace at the end of the season, with Liverpool among the clubs keen on securing the services of the England international defender.

Sources have told our transfer correspondent, Graeme Bailey, that, along with Liverpool, Man City, Chelsea and Tottenham are also interested in Guehi.

Guehi’s status as a free agent next summer has sparked interest from Real Madrid as well.

With David Alaba and Antonio Rudiger out of contract at Estadio Bernabeu next summer, Madrid are keen on adding at least one new centre-back to their squad in 2026.

AS, a Real Madrid-leaning Spanish publication, has claimed that Liverpool, owned by Fenway Sports Group (FSG), are planning to bid for Guehi in the January transfer window in order to beat competition from other clubs, including Madrid.

The report has noted: ‘After Liverpool’s failed move for Guehi in the summer, the English club are looking to get ahead of all his suitors and will try to sign him in January.

‘Many teams want him when he becomes a free agent in June, but the English side want to get ahead of everyone in the winter transfer window.’

While AS has not reported how much Liverpool plan to bid for Guehi in January, our transfer correspondent, Fraser Fletcher, revealed on December 12 that a bid of £15-20million (up to €23m, $27m) is needed to convince Palace to part company with their star defender, who has already decided that he will not extend his stay at Selhurst Park and will not sign a new deal.

Liverpool learn Kenan Yildiz stance

Alongside Semenyo, Juventus star Kenan Yildiz is another attacking player  that Liverpool admire, with the Turkey international able to play in a number of roles in attack.

Talks have been going on between Juventus and Yildiz over a new contract, but no progress has been made.

While Liverpool will have been encouraged by this, SportMediaSet journalist Gianni Balzarini has claimed that, as of now, Yildiz is not planning to push for a move away from Juventus.

TuttoJuve quotes Balzarini as saying about Yildiz: “His entourage is there, he’s present in Turin, there’s the desire to draft an agreement by Christmas, or at least by the end of this year, and after that it will have to be a fairly important, substantial draft agreement.

“Why does Juve keep saying they have to hurry? It’s true that the player is locked into a contract until 2029, but it’s equally true that, as you well know, contracts can have a relative value when faced with a player’s potential desire to leave their team, their club, and I’m not aware of Juve ever holding onto someone against their will.

“That said, Yildiz has absolutely not expressed a desire to leave Juve, but it’s clear that a feeling that lingers over time can lead to unpleasant situations, especially since the alternatives mainly concern England, with Chelsea, Manchester United, and even Arsenal, who continue to gather information.

“So, Real Madrid is interested. These are all names that are very intriguing for a boy of his age, even though he’s very intrigued by the idea of ​​playing in the Juventus number 10 for so many years.

“However, it’s clear that if you look, on the one hand, they say there’s no rush, on the other, it’s clear that you feel the pull of clubs that can guarantee you something in the short term, and something can click in a player’s head.”

Liverpool make Mo Salah decision

Salah has left Liverpool to play for Egypt at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Some Anfield faithful will be concerned that the winger will not play for Liverpool again, but The Athletic journalist David Ornstein has made it clear that the Reds  will not sell Salah in the January transfer window.

Ornstein said: “As I understand it, Liverpool fully intend to keep Mo Salah.

“They want him to remain, not only in the January transfer window but beyond, until at least the end of the season.

“He’s under contract until the summer of 2027 and Liverpool feel that they showed their intentions very clearly by renewing him at great expense back in May.

“I think their view would be this has been brought about by Salah and his desire to be guaranteed regular football, and that’s not something that any club, certainly not Liverpool, despite the legendary status of Salah, are going to be willing to deliver.

“And that seems to be at the heart of this, at the centre of discussions, which Arne Slot said began before Leeds.

“So this wasn’t the great shock to Liverpool that some have made out – what was surprising was that he spoke out after Leeds and that forced them to act.”

If Salah truly wants to leave, then FSG will not make it easy, as Ornstein added: “However, they still feel the ball is in his court to decide what he wants to do here.

“If he really does want to go, is he going to come forward with some proposals?”