As per reports, Liverpool are considering using winger Ben Doak in a player-plus-cash deal for Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo this summer. Despite being highly rated at Anfield, the Scottish teenager could be sacrificed as part of an ambitious attempt to overhaul the Reds’ frontline (via Mirror).
Doak, who is on loan at Middlesbrough, is valued at £25 million by the Reds, with a number of Premier League teams interested in signing him. Crystal Palace were previously interested, as per the report, but have lost interest since sporting director Dougie Freedman left the club. This would make Bournemouth the front-runners for the 19-year-old.
Liverpool have reportedly been tracking Semenyo for months. The Ghana international is having a good season at Bournemouth, having racked up 14 goal involvements in 32 appearances across all competitions. With question marks around the futures of Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz, and Darwin Nunez, the Reds are bracing for an overhaul of their attack.
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They could use Ben Doak to sweeten a deal for Semenyo, who has also drawn interest from Arsenal, as per the report. No decision has yet been made on the future of the youngster, but he could leave Anfield as the Reds work creatively to strengthen their squad ahead of next season.
"If you don't pick up trophies as a manager or as a player, it can haunt you for decades" - Liverpool manager Arne Slot in new book
Arne Slot has talked about the importance of winning trophies at the top level of football in a recently released book which charts his journey to Liverpool. The Dutch tactician led Eredivisie side Feyenoord for three years before making the switch to Anfield last summer.
The Dutchman said (via Daily Mail):
"I know how it works. If you don't pick up trophies as a manager or as a player, it can haunt you for decades. There are different ways to be remembered..."
"Of course, I want to win as many games as possible - but I also want to stay in the memory of people. That is a trophy in itself, in my opinion."
Although the Reds have a comfortable 12-point lead over second-placed Arsenal in the Premier League, Slot's words have been applied by some to his team's ongoing season.
Recent results have cast a pall over Anfield despite that advantage. Slot’s team was eliminated from the Champions League in thrilling fashion, losing to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties. They then lost to Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final.
