Liverpool-affiliated media reveal that Antoine Semenyo chose to join Manchester City because they offered him a higher wage than Liverpool.
On 4 January 2025, Antoine Semenyo, the in-form winger from Bournemouth, is becoming one of the most sought-after players in the January transfer market after consistently outstanding performances, attracting interest from Premier League giants, especially Liverpool and Manchester City.
Reports state that the Ghana international striker has a release clause of around £65 million, meaning everything depends on the player's decision if a club is ready to proceed fully during this winter transfer window.
Although Liverpool have continuously contacted Semenyo’s representatives and the player was open to the opportunity of playing at Anfield, the situation changed when Manchester City stepped in with an offer that was hard to refuse.
A Liverpool insider, DaveOCKOP, revealed that the key factor causing Liverpool to step back from the deal was the wage issue, as the Sky Blues were ready to offer a contract worth about £180,000 per week, excluding performance bonuses—an amount Liverpool was unwilling to increase to compete.
Besides wages, Manchester City also holds an advantage in title chances and confidence in Pep Guardiola's team management approach, which could be the key for Semenyo to win his first major career trophy.
Given the latest circumstances, Manchester City is seen as holding the upper hand in securing Semenyo's signature, while Liverpool may have to shift their focus to other targets if they are unwilling to match the financial terms proposed by their rival.