Liverpool have been in ‘direct negotiations’ for two months with Bournemouth as they look to sign Antoine Semenyo in the January transfer window, according to reports.

After winning their first five Premier League matches, the Reds have been going through a nightmare run of form that has seen them drop to eighth in the table.

Liverpoolhave lost five of their last six Premier League fixtures with Arne Slot’s side now eight points off the pace in the title race, with Arsenal at the summit.

Mohamed Salah has been out of sorts this season but remains their top goalscorer in the Premier League with four goals, while Cody Gakpo, Hugo Ekitike and Ryan Gravenberch all have three goals.

And speculation is building that Liverpool are looking to sign a new wide attacker in the January transfer window as they look to add goals to Slot’s outfit.

Semenyo has appeared at the top of their list with The Athletic‘s David Ornstein claimed on Mondaythat Bournemouth ‘reluctantly accept they may be powerless to prevent’ the Ghana international leaving in January.

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Ornstein also revealed that Semenyo’s release clause is set at ￡65m and ‘must be activated by a specific date, which would give Bournemouth a couple of weeks to replace their best player, and is available to any team’.

And now a reliable account on Xmade up of ‘five elite reporters’ and 684k followers insists that Liverpool are the ‘only favourites’ for Semenyo with Arsenal ‘close’ to their FFP limit.

The account wrote:?‘The exclusive Antoine Semenyo & Myles Lewis-Skelly update:

• Richard Hughes, the Liverpool sporting director, is in direct negotiations with old club Bournemouth for last 2 months for Semenyo.
• Liverpool are ONLY favorites to sign Semenyo in January.
• Arsenal don’t have cash flow problems to sign Semenyo but are close to FFP limit without player sales under UEFA’s Squad Cost ratio rule.
• Myles Lewis-Skelly could be sold to sign new players.’

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Semenyo has been attracting praise this season after providing six goals and three assists in 11 matches for Bournemouth with Tim Sherwood calling him a “wonderful player”.

Sherwood said on Sky Sports: “He needs to keep himself fit, doesn’t he? There will be a queue a mile long for this boy. He’s top drawer, really a wonderful player.

“He doesn’t have to settle into the Premier League, and you know what you’re gonna get. The only question mark would be, it’s okay playing for Bournemouth and Bristol City, but can you play for Liverpool?

“Can you play for Tottenham when the spotlight is on? Can you play for?Arsenal, you know? He reminds me of… His career is a bit like Eze. A little bit. And he’s stepped up at Arsenal. He’s been outstanding.

“There’s never a 100 per cent sure thing, but I think he’s the nearest you’re ever going to come to it.”

Former Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp was also full of praise for Semenyo in October when he called him a “unique player” after Bournemouth’s 3-1 win over Fulham.

Redknapp said on Sky Sports: “It was a hard night to play football, but it didn’t matter to him; he just glides across the pitch.

“He’s an incredibly unique talent, such a fantastic player, he’s so easy on the eye, whether it’s his left foot or right foot, it doesn’t matter.

“The manager makes good assists, brings on Kluivert, who scores a world-class goal, but it was a good night for them; they were struggling at one point, and you wondered how they’d turn it around, but when you’ve got that number 24 on the team, you’ve always got a chance. He’s such a unique player.”