Michael Owen thinks Liverpool should consider Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo as a potential replacement for Mohamed Salah, should the Egyptian leave Anfield this summer.
The future of Salah, along with team-mates Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk, remains uncertain as contract negotiations continue. All three players are in the final few months of their current deals, and while extensions remain possible, agreements have yet to be struck.
Salah has expressed his desire to stay at Liverpool, but if an agreement isn’t reached, Owen believes his former club wouldn’t have to look far for a replacement. Semenyo, 25, has been impressing with his performances for the Cherries this season, particularly catching attention with his goal against Chelsea on Tuesday night – a left-footed strike reminiscent of Salah, 32, himself.
While analysing the game on Premier League Productions, Owen, 45, hailed Semenyo as a top talent. “He is a brilliant player,” the ex-England international said. “He scores goals – and we don’t know if Mohamed Salah will stay or leave but, if he leaves, Semenyo should be his replacement.”
Semenyo joined Bournemouth in January 2023 for £10.25million from Bristol City. The London-born Ghana international has since notched an impressive 15 goals in the Premier League from 64 appearances – with six of them coming this season.
Frankfurt forward Omar Marmoush, who is a long-term target of Liverpool’s, is inching closer to a move to Manchester City after the champions opened talks with the Bundesliga club over a move for the Egyptian forward. Marmoush, who has scored 20 goals in 26 games this season, was viewed by many as a natural replacement for Salah on Merseyside, but it appears the Reds will now need to look elsewhere.
There was also long-standing interest in Napoli’s Kvicha Kvaratskhelia. However, the Georgian is now on the verge of joining PSG in a blockbuster £65million deal.
It comes after Liverpool were held to a 1-1 draw at the City Ground by Nottingham Forest, who are the only club to have registered a Premier League victory over Slot’s team this season. The result meant the Reds have picked up just one win from their last four matches: a 4-0 thrashing of Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup.
Following their 2-1 win over north London rivals Tottenham on Wednesday evening, Arsenal have now closed to gap at the top of the table to just four points. That said, Liverpool still have a game in hand on the Gunners, as well as a superior goal difference.
Up next for the Reds is a trip to Brentford on Saturday. Following that, they’ll face Lille in the Champions League.
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