Sports
Liverpool agree personal terms to sign big-money PL star
Well, Alexander Isak‘s debut campaign in a Liverpool shirt may have been cut brutally short after he broke his leg when scoring against Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend.
The extent of the Swedish striker’s injury is yet to be confirmed, but reliable sources such as The Athletic believe that he will be sidelined for at least several months. This ongoing anxious wait will not end in good news, unfortunately.
Isak has not been at the races this season, having struggled since joining from Newcastle in a record-breaking £125m move. However, Isak’s finish was crisp and classy at the weekend, and now there is a concerning hole that FSG and Slot need to fill in promptly.
How Liverpool plan to replace Isak
The slim sliver of solace that can be taken from this latest conundrum is that Isak has not ruptured his ACL. A long-term knee injury would have kept him out well into the 2026/27 campaign, and his athleticism would have taken a hit.
Another source of consolation can be found in the prolific Hugo Ekitike‘s continuing purple patch. The Frenchman, recruited during the summer for £69m, bagged his fifth goal in three Premier League matches against Spurs.
But with Mohamed Salah‘s future on Merseyside also uncertain, and with the Egyptian currently out at the African Cup of Nations, it’s looking increasingly likely that sporting director Richard Hughes is going to accelerate plans to sign a forward this summer.
The No. 1 target? Antoine Semenyo, of course, who is slated for a departure from Bournemouth this winter, with a long line of suitors ready to pounce.
According to transfer insider Ben Jacobs, Liverpool held “talks” with the 25-year-old’s representatives last month, but they have fallen behind Manchester City and Manchester United in the race. Tottenham are keen, but outsiders.
Semenyo has a £65m release clause active for the first half of the January transfer window, and Isak’s injury is bound to alter FSG’s stance with The Guardian reporting that personal terms have already been ‘agreed’.
Why Semenyo is the perfect Isak replacement
Semenyo has been incredible this season. There’s no two ways about it. A couple of strikes in recent weeks have taken the Ghanaian winger’s tally up to eight goals and three assists from 16 Premier League appearances.
A versatile winger who has spent more time on the left flank this term, Semenyo would be a stunning (and belated) Luis Diaz upgrade for Liverpool, settling the equilibrium and working with the in-form Ekitike over the business months of the campaign.
He might not be a focal frontman in the same vein as Isak, but the Cherries talisman is still a superstar forward, and he’s only sharpened his tools since the summer.
|
Semenyo’s Last Two Prem Seasons |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stats (* per game) |
24/25 |
25/26 |
|
Matches (starts) |
37 (36) |
16 (16) |
|
Goals |
11 |
8 |
|
Assists |
5 |
3 |
|
Shots (on target)* |
3.4 (1.1) |
2.4 (1.3) |
|
Big chances missed |
12 |
5 |
|
Accurate passes* |
21.1 (78%) |
19.9 (77%) |
|
Big chances created |
11 |
4 |
|
Key passes* |
1.2 |
1.4 |
|
Dribbles* |
1.9 |
1.6 |
|
Ball recoveries* |
4.3 |
5.1 |
|
Tackles + interceptions* |
1.8 |
1.9 |
|
Duels won* |
6.1 |
6.4 |
|
Data via Sofascore |
||
Liverpool cannot afford to let one of their Premier League rivals grow with Semenyo in the mix. Not when they need such a profile so badly. He would be the perfect Isak replacement, and that says something about where Liverpool’s recruitment went a bit wrong this summer, with Semenyo not a central striker but a dynamic and protean threat.
His brace at the start of the season nearly foiled Liverpool at Anfield, and it was then that Slot and co learned of the scale of Semenyo’s ability. Perhaps it was then that he was earmarked.
Isak has been at odds in Liverpool’s system this season, so far removed from the lofty heights of last year. Semenyo, conversely, has established himself as one of the best players in the Premier League.
Said to be looking “unstoppable” by talkSPORT pundit Darren Bent, the prolific winger is powerful and multi-faceted. He is the real deal, and Liverpool must get a deal wrapped up swiftly.
This situation is anything but ideal. However, Liverpool could ease the setback considerably by adding Semenyo to the ranks, perhaps creating a more balanced frontline in the process.
The decision against directly replacing Diaz this summer was an ill-advised one, and Semenyo could be not just a replacement but an upgrade to fire Liverpool back into the ascendancy.
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