Former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan has been having his say on Liverpool’s reported interest in Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo
Simon Jordan believes Liverpool signing Antoine Semenyo won’t be as straightforward as it sounds. It came to light this week that the Bournemouth winger has a £65m release clause in his contract that comes active in January.
Liverpool have been credited with interest in the Ghana international, who has lit up the Premier League so far this season with six goals and three assists.
The Reds spent more than £400m on new signings in the summer, and brought more than £200m in sales, but are being tipped to bolster their injury-hit squad further when the transfer window reopens.
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But former Crystal Palace owner Jordan said on talkSPORT: “It’s interesting. Semenyo had trials at Palace when he was 15 and they didn’t want him. He was there for eight weeks and didn’t want him.
“Listen, because he has got a £65m release clause, don’t assume that is a straightforward done deal in terms of being able to meet it because there will be other caveats attached to it.
“There may well be payment terms that immediately drive the price of £65m straight on the table. There may be other conditions of a top-six side that buys the player.
“It might not just be the £65m and it might not be quite as appealing to Liverpool given the fact, and I’ve defended this against the onslaught of observations of how much they spent, but they did spend £400-500m in the window just gone.”
Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Manchester City are also said to be monitoring Semenyo, who signed a new deal with the Cherries in the summer.
Another fan of the 25-year-old, who after unsuccessful trials at Arsenal and Tottenham as well as Palace started his career at Bristol City, is legendary former Liverpool player and manager Graeme Souness.
And Jordan added: “I’ve liked this player for two or three years and had chats with Graeme Souness, who lives down that neck of the woods and watches them regularly.
“He is some player.”
One player who the Reds definitely retain an interest in his Palace captain Marc Guehi, whose £35m move to Anfield on deadline day in September collapsed.
With Arne Slot down to three fit and available centre-backs, the Liverpool head coach was asked at his press conference on Friday (November 21) about a revived bid for Guehi, who the Eagles may have to sell in January given he has indicated he will not be extending his contract, which runs out next summer.
But Slot said: “I wasn’t expecting to talk about signings. There are so many games to be played before that and the position we are in, it’s the last thing on my mind. It’s not a topic for me at all at the moment.
“We have at the moment of time three centre-backs, maybe Ryan (Gravenberch) and Wata (Wataru Endo) who can play there.
“We have other positions there which are bit more of an issue.”
