
Liverpool
Premier League • England
Liverpool offer up surprising makeweight in January deal to sign explosive Premier League forward

Antoine Semenyo and Ben Doak could swap clubs in January
Liverpool are reportedly prepared to offer up a talented Anfield attacker as a makeweight to sign Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo during the final weeks of the January transfer window.
The Merseysiders have had their eye on the 25-year-old for a while, with Semenyo shining for a Cherries side currently sitting an impressive seventh in the Premier League table under Spanish boss Andoni Iraola.
The Ghana international has scored six goals and added a further three assists for his side in 21 appearances in all competitions this term, with Bournemouth determined to keep suitors at arm’s length in the winter window.
Indeed, they value Semenyo at around £50million (€60m / $60.8m), the sort of money that Liverpool are not too keen on forking out in January.
To that end, a report from Northern Echo states that the Reds are willing to use winger Ben Doak as a makeweight in a bid to try and get Semenyo on board before the January window shuts.
Doak, who is valued at £30m by Liverpool, is currently on loan at Championship outfit Middlesbrough, where he has notched up three goals as well as six assists in 21 outings so far.
However, Boro are powerless to stop Liverpool recalling the attacker due to a clause in his deal on Teesside, with Arne Slot’s men already rejecting offers from Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town for the player this month.
It would appear, though, that Liverpool’s best chance of getting a deal for Semenyo over the line could hinge on offering the highly-rated Doak as bait – if Bournemouth choose to bite.
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Liverpool change their tune over Doak amid Semenyo links
It was reported only recently by trusted journalist James Pearce that Slot was determined to keep Doak and fellow attacker Federico Chiesa this month, rather than accept any offers for both – an approach that could have now changed when it comes to the former.
Revealing their plans for Doak going forwards, Pearce said: “Liverpool rejected several offers for young winger Ben Doak.”‘Crystal Palace (£15m) and Ipswich Town (£16m) both had bids turned down for the Scotland international, who has impressed on loan at Championship outfit Middlesbrough this season.
“Liverpool believe his value is considerably higher. Unless they receive a much-improved offer, the plan is for Doak to stay at Middlesbrough for the rest of the season and then return to Kirkby next summer.”
The Scotland international was signed from Celtic in early 2022, with the Reds having to cough up £600,000 in compensation, and he became the youngest Scotsman to play in the Premier League aged just 17, when he made his league debut in a Boxing Day win over Aston Villa that year.
In total, has made 10 senior appearances for Liverpool but has already been capped six times by his country.
As for what Semenyo, who has also been linked with Chelsea, could bring to the table for the Reds, the forward has lined up all over Bournemouth’s frontline this season – showing off his tremendous versatility as a result.
Thirteen of his appearances have come from the right, with six down the left while he also scored in his one appearance playing as a central striker.
The fact that he can cover both wings for Slot is particularly attractive for Slot, especially with Mo Salah’s future still being unclear and Barcelona still pushing to sign Luis Diaz.
Latest Liverpool news: Reds still hopeful over Tchouameni deal / Major Nunez offer incoming
Liverpool reportedly believe that they could be able to sign Aurelien Tchouameni, but Arne Slot’s side are facing a major threat from another Premier League club as Real Madrid’s stance on a potential deal in the January transfer window has also been revealed.
Despite Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch both excelling in Arne Slot’s engine room this season, the Reds are on the hunt for a new midfielder and TT revealed back in November that they were ready to rekindle their efforts to sign Tchouameni.
And now Football Insider have backed up those claims and believe that the Reds could be able to tempt the 24-year-old France international midfielder in the summer of 2025.
Meanwhile, Liverpool will reportedly soon receive a generous offer to sell Darwin Nunez with the fee Al-Hilal are prepared to pay for the Uruguayan striker coming to light and amid claims they will more than double his current wages at Anfield.