English press reports indicate that Mohamed Salah is the reason Antoine Semenyo didn’t join Liverpool during the current winter transfer window, as the Reds’ management insisted on keeping the “Egyptian King” at Anfield.
Semenyo decided to activate the £65 million release clause in his contract with Bournemouth to leave the Vitality Stadium this winter, amidst interest from all the top Premier League clubs.
Liverpool were among the clubs eager to sign the 26-year-old, but a disagreement over salary led the Ghanaian international to ultimately choose Manchester City.
Semenyo wanted a weekly wage of £180,000, a figure Liverpool’s management completely rejected, deeming it excessive and inconsistent with Arne Slott’s squad’s wage structure.
Meanwhile, Liverpool’s management is determined to keep Mohamed Salah until the end of the season and possibly until his contract expires in the summer of 2027. This has led them to refuse to enter a bidding war for Semenyo, making the deal secondary and not a necessity to warrant such a huge salary.
At the same time, the player himself sensed that Liverpool wasn’t as serious about negotiations as Manchester City, and Pep Guardiola’s guarantee of regular playing time played a pivotal role in his final decision to move to the Etihad Stadium.
It’s worth noting that Mohamed Salah will return from his participation with the Egyptian national team in the Africa Cup of Nations in mid-January, after which he will meet with Liverpool’s management to make a final decision regarding his future.
