Golden chance for Liverpool to land outstanding Man City pair as FFP timebomb ticks down

Liverpool could be presented with a golden opportunity to bolster their squad with two high-profile additions should Manchester City face relegation as a potential consequence of their recent guilty verdict on Premier League financial charges, it is understood.

In what is arguably the biggest story in the history of the Premier League, eight-time champions Manchester City have been found guilty of breaching 114 counts of FFP over nine years between 2009 and 2018 – and the sanctions could prove monumental.

While it is worth noting that City continue to protest their innocence and plan to take their case all the way to the High Court to clear their name, the implications of that fallout are starting to gain serious traction – and fears that they could lose plenty of their biggest stars as a result are starting to gather pace if City tumble out of the Premier League.

Two of their most consistent performers only moved to the Etihad Stadium this year, but in Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi, who both arrived in the January 2026 window, fears of losing the pair as a result of their sanctions are becoming increasingly real.

City beat off strong competition to secure their signatures at the time. Semenyo arrived from Bournemouth in a deal worth £62.5m, while Guehi joined from Crystal Palace for approximately £20m.

Both players had previously been high on Liverpool’s transfer wishlist. The Reds came within a whisker of signing Guehi in the summer of 2025 before the deal collapsed on deadline day, and they had also monitored Semenyo extensively while he was still at Bournemouth.

While Liverpool did not make much in public about those misses, seeing them join a direct rival – and go on to become consistent performers for the pair – will have stung the Reds hard.

Now, however, the chance to glean sweet revenge could be presented to Liverpool right before their eyes – and it is an opportunity the Reds will surely not want to pass up a second time around…

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Liverpool on standby to pounce for Guehi, Semenyo

Should City suffer the severe sanction of relegation following the independent commission’s findings of serious breaches of financial rules, a number of their players would almost certainly seek Premier League or top-level football elsewhere.

Indeed, we have already looked into where Rayan Cherki could go next, while a painful exit for the homegrown Phil Foden could also be on the cards.

Liverpool, under their current recruitment strategy, would be well placed to capitalise for both Semenyo and Guehi, particularly given their established interest in the pair.

Semenyo, the versatile Ghanaian forward capable of operating on either flank or through the middle, had also attracted serious attention from Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal prior to his City switch.

Guehi, the England centre-back and former Palace captain, was similarly sought after by a host of top clubs.

Alongside Liverpool’s near-miss, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham all showed interest, while European giants including Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid registered their admiration for the defender. He would not be short of options.

Any forced sales by a relegated City side would create a competitive market, yet Liverpool’s prior relationships and clear need for defensive reinforcement and attacking depth could give them an edge.

The fact that Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola worked with Semenyo before and is credited with aiding his rapid rise at Bournemouth adds another layer of intrigue.

With sanctions still to be determined and City preparing an appeal and maintaining their innocence, the situation remains fluid.

However, the prospect of landing two players of such quality is not something Liverpool would ignore, and it is expected they would actively pursue both players if City are forced into a corner over their unwanted sales.

Meanwhile, former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has sent Pep Guardiola a touching message after the former City boss himself responded to the 114 guilty verdict levelled against the club.