Richard Hughes already KNOWS who he wants to replace Mo Salah

Liverpool completed £450m worth of spending in last summer’s transfer window.

As part of the transformation of the 2024/25 Premier League-winning squad, we saw several new faces arrive in attack.

Florian Wirtz has been signed to become the long-term centrepiece of the Reds’ attack - while a new-look strikeforce was recruited in the shape of Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak.

It’s fair to say the Anfield club are still waiting for those signings to truly pay off - but it nonetheless appears that the Merseysiders are gearing up to spend again.

Salah to leave, Gakpo upgrade needed

On the left wing there is a sense that Cody Gakpo could be upgraded despite a recent purple patch in form.

And on the right side, Mo Salah is going to require a permanent successor very soon. The Egyptian King is out of contract in 2027 - and will be 35 by the time his current deal expires.

Accordingly the club could add to their options on BOTH sides of the attack with only one key signing. The player in question is very well known to sporting director Richard Hughes - who signed Antoine Semenyo for Bournemouth when he was technical director.

Semenyo, 25, went off like a rocket at the start of this Premier League season - netting six times and adding three assists in his first seven matches.

The Ghana international was heavily courted by Tottenham and Manchester United over the summer but elected to remain on the south coast and signed a new contract.

Liverpool frontrunners for Semenyo

The versatile attacker’s new deal includes a £65m January release clause - which drops to closer to £50m come the summer.

And according to a new report in TEAMtalk Liverpool are in the lead for Semenyo’s signature - despite the interest of clubs like Spurs and Manchester City.

“Liverpool, long admirers via sporting director Richard Hughes – who scouted Semenyo to the Cherries – are frontrunners but wary of City’s financial muscle hijacking their plans,” the report reads.

“Anfield chiefs see the two-footed speedster as Salah’s long-term successor, having netted six in 11 league outings.”

Hughes has signed Semenyo already

Semenyo was signed by Hughes for the Cherries back in January 2023 - in a bargain £10m deal from Bristol City.

Since then he has gone from strength to strength for Andoni Iraola’s side - featuring in a range of attacking positions and establishing himself as a key part of the team.

He is now under contract until 2030 on the south coast but we can expect him to move on - hopefully to Liverpool - either in January or else next summer.

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