Liverpool Eye Semenyo as Richard Hughes Prepares 2026 Transfer Blueprint
Liverpool’s recruitment department, under sporting director Richard Hughes, are reportedly preparing for another pivotal transfer window in 2026 — with Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo emerging as a serious target.
Semenyo catching attention across the Premier League
Semenyo’s performances for Bournemouth this season have elevated him into one of the Premier League’s most sought-after wide players. His pace, strength, and direct style have become defining traits of Andoni Iraola’s counter-attacking system, and clubs across the division are beginning to take note.
Reports by Anfield Watch suggest that Bournemouth rebuffed offers of around £50 million from Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur last summer. Given the Ghanaian international’s continued development, his market value is now expected to rise significantly — a figure likely to surpass £60 million by next summer if his form continues.
Semenyo’s versatility also makes him an attractive option. Comfortable operating across the front line, he possesses the energy and intensity that align closely with Liverpool’s pressing principles under Arne Slot. For a team that may soon need to refresh its attacking options, the 24-year-old could be viewed as a natural successor to Mohamed Salah on the right flank.
Richard Hughes shaping Liverpool’s long-term vision
Hughes, who arrived at Anfield from Bournemouth earlier this year, has been tasked with modernising Liverpool’s recruitment structure while aligning new signings to Slot’s tactical blueprint. His familiarity with Semenyo from their shared time on the south coast gives Liverpool an advantage should the club decide to formalise their interest.
With key figures such as Virgil van Dijk and Salah entering the latter stages of their careers, Liverpool’s hierarchy are fully aware that succession planning must begin now. Hughes and Slot are expected to identify players capable of sustaining the club’s competitive edge both domestically and in Europe — a task made more urgent by the transitional period the squad is currently undergoing.
Semenyo, who embodies the blend of physical power and technical sharpness that Liverpool traditionally value in attacking players, appears to fit that brief perfectly.
Deák’s role in the scouting process
Liverpool’s head of scouting, Jörg Schmadtke’s successor Zoltán Deák, is understood to be heavily involved in assessing potential replacements across the forward line. Deák’s data-led approach to recruitment — focused on tactical adaptability, durability, and statistical consistency — has placed Semenyo among the names being closely monitored.
According to reports, Deák has identified the Bournemouth winger as a player whose underlying metrics, including successful take-ons and chance creation under pressure, mirror those of Liverpool’s current attacking leaders. Combined with his Premier League experience, that profile makes him a compelling option ahead of a possible summer overhaul.
Potential transfer dynamics and next steps
While Bournemouth are expected to sanction a high-value departure next summer, their willingness to negotiate will depend on league position and financial flexibility. For Liverpool, the decision hinges on whether they view Semenyo as a cornerstone of their next attacking era or an opportunity best left for rivals to pursue.
Either way, with Hughes leading strategy and Deák refining the club’s scouting direction, Liverpool’s 2026 transfer window already looks set to feature significant movement — and Antoine Semenyo could yet be at the heart of it.
