Report: Liverpool draw up four-player shortlist as Man City threaten Semenyo transfer hijack | OneFootball

Liverpool have reportedly compiled a four-man shortlist of alternative transfer targets to Antoine Semenyo, with Manchester City threatening to swoop for the Bournemouth winger.

Several reliable sources (including Lewis Steele and Fabrizio Romano) have indicated that the Reds have a genuine interest in the 25-year-old and that he could plausibly leave the Cherries next month.

However, The Times reported in recent days that Pep Guardiola’s side are ‘seriously considering’ a move to trigger the Ghana forward’s £65m release clause at the Vitality Stadium in January.

Who are Liverpool targeting instead of Semenyo?

According to CaughtOffside, the mooted hijack from Man City has caught Liverpool chiefs ‘off guard’, although a ‘Plan B’ framework has ‘already been activated’ within the corridors of power at Anfield.

To that effect, the Reds have now shortlisted four alternative transfer targets to Semenyo – Kenan Yildiz (Juventus), Rodrygo (Real Madrid), Iliman Ndiaye (Everton) and Michael Olise (Bayern Munich).

Of that quartet, the latter is viewed as LFC’s ‘dream signing’ for 2026, while ‘informal contact’ has been made for the Brazil international, although the Toffees winger is cited as ‘perhaps the most realistic short-term solution’.

(Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

Which of that quartet would be the best option for Liverpool?

While it isn’t unknown for players to swap Everton for Liverpool directly (just ask Nick Barmby and Abel Xavier!), it’s very difficult to envisage David Moyes sanctioning the sale of one of his best players to their local rivals, so that probably rules out Ndiaye.

Rodrygo is reportedly open to a Premier League move (CaughtOffside), but he’s been reduced to a backup role at Real Madrid and has failed to score in 434 minutes on the pitch so far this season.

Yildiz is a hugely gifted prodigy who offers tremendous versatility and has been in good form for Juventus (five goals and assists each in 17 games), but the Bianconeri are unlikely to green-light an exit midway through the campaign.

If Liverpool are to go big on a long-term successor to Mo Salah on the right flank, we’d like to see them push the boat out for Olise, who ticks more boxes than the other names on this list.

(Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

He’s been in terrific form at Bayern (nine goals and 10 assists in 20 games this term), has proven that he can excel in the Premier League in his time with Crystal Palace, and he can play anywhere across the forward line.

Also, with the Frenchman turning 24 next week, he’s probably only about to come into his peak footballing years whilst already demonstrating that he can thrive at the highest level in Europe.

If Liverpool can lure Olise from the Bundesliga champions, it’d more than make up for the possibility of losing out to Man City for Semenyo.

You can watch Slot’s full post-West Ham press conference via Empire of the Kop on YouTube: