"Really stupid" - Pundit slams Liverpool for giving rivals a free run at PL superstar

Former Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant has expressed his disappointment at the club allowing Antoine Semenyo to reportedly join Manchester City. He said that the Ghanaian forward could have been a long-term replacement for Mohamed Salah.

Semenyo has been heavily linked with an exit from Bournemouth in the ongoing January transfer window. His contract reportedly has a release clause worth £65 million, valid for the first two weeks of the window. He was heavily linked with multiple teams in the Premier League, but Manchester City appear to be closing in on his signature.

Sharing his thoughts on this imminent transfer, Jermaine Pennant told talkSPORT:

"As a Liverpool fan, I'm really disappointed on the back of [Alexander] Isak getting injured, maybe out for the season. [Mohamed] Salah being in AFCON and we already know the relationship with him, is he going to be leaving? So, for £65million in this day and age, a player of Antoine Semenyo's quality, you'd say it's kind of a bargain." "And for them to not be in the conversation or say, 'We're interested as well', and approach Bournemouth on the back of what I've mentioned, is really stupid. He could be a player that could replace Salah long term as well. So when Salah does decide to leave, if it's in January or at the end of the season, you've got someone who is Premier League proven, which is absolutely vital. We've seen players come over to this league and they can't really cut it, but you know that he can," he added.

Semenyo has scored nine goals in 18 Premier League games this season, one more than Liverpool's top scorer, Hugo Ekitike.

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Pep Guardiola opens up on potentially signing Liverpool-linked Antoine Semenyo

As per The Athletic, the Bournemouth winger prefers a move to Manchester City over other suitors like Liverpool and Manchester United. Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur were also linked with him, but he reportedly declined the latter.

Manchester City are set to face Sunderland at the Stadium of Light in the Premier League on New Year's Day. In his pre-match press conference, Pep Guardiola was asked about their links to Semenyo, and he answered (h/t TNT Sports):

"What is going to happen is going to happen. I don’t have any news. The winter transfer window is completely closed right now."

Semenyo has been a key player for Bournemouth since arriving from Bristol City in January 2023. He's scored 30 goals and provided 13 assists in 106 games across competitions for them.

Edited by Aditya Singh