Liverpool transfer news: January twist hands Reds “opportunity” to beat Man City to Antoine Semenyo

There is an opportunity for Liverpool to reshape their attack in the next two transfer windows due to uncertainty in the forward line, Reds expert David Lynch has insisted.

Reports have emerged in recent weeks that the Merseysiders could be serious contenders for Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo, though Manchester City are hoping to wrap up a deal by the time the transfer window opens on Thursday.

Signing a forward could be vitally important considering the future of Mohamed Salah is still uncertain, and a departure in the winter is still possible.

When asked about Liverpool's plans in the forward line, Lynch expected change in the coming months, telling Sports Mole: "It looks to all the world that they're going to get to the end of the season and Mohamed Salah will depart.

"There's an opportunity to do something else in attack, and there will be room because Chiesa is in a similar boat to Salah, so I'd expect him to leave in the summer too."

Signing Semenyo in January would be a way to mitigate the loss of Salah by bringing in his replacement ahead of time, and the two could be impactful together on the pitch if the Egyptian remained at Anfield until the end of 2025-26.

Antoine Semenyo future: Are Liverpool trying to beat Manchester City?

Manchester City are widely reported to be the frontrunners for Semenyo's signature, and it remains to be seen if Arne Slot's side can beat the Citizens to the 25-year-old.

There are also doubts about whether Liverpool are actively pursuing the winger, who has a £65m release clause.

Lynch expressed his view that the Reds' name may be being used to speed up Semenyo's transfer to City, when he told Sports Mole: "I'd be quite surprised if he joined. The mood music I had a while ago is that it's not anything Liverpool were considering for January.

"I would be really surprised if they made move in January even after Isak's injury. The latest noise with Liverpool's name being dropped again has the feeling of Bournemouth trying to hurry Manchester City up.

"Unless Liverpool have a change of heart in the next couple of days, I would be surprised if they go back in for Semenyo."

Bournemouth would benefit significantly from having as much time as possible to sign a replacement for their star forward, so perhaps they are encouraging City to sign the winger on January 1.

Will Liverpool sign another forward in the January transfer window?

Alexander Isak is set to be sidelined for months after a leg break against Tottenham Hotspur earlier in December, while Salah is currently playing for Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Federico Chiesa, Cody Gakpo and Hugo Ekitike are the club's other three senior options in the forward line, though the former has rarely been trusted by Slot.

Speaking to Sports Mole, Lynch revealed that the Reds are likely to believe they have enough depth until the end of the season even if they fail to land Semenyo, saying: "I think they would say that they're not too bad - Salah's not away forever.

"They've got Chiesa, they've got Gakpo back, and of course Ekitike's flying. There's hope Isak will be back around March, and though it's not ideal, they could get Harvey Elliott back in the mix. That's something to definitely consider.

"They'll believe that they can get by with what they've got. Wirtz has played on that left flank and he's doing really well at the moment. Frimpong is an option on the right and that works for them."

Injuries in defence could force Jeremie Frimpong to play as a right-back, but once the likes of Salah return from AFCON, the club may have the options to finish in the top four and get by until the summer.

> Click here to listen to the full discussion on Liverpool's possible pursuit of Antoine Semenyo