Former Liverpool Sporting Director Richard Hughes Pushed Club To Sign Antoine Semenyo Before Manchester City Swooped
Liverpool’s recruitment strategy is under scrutiny after reports revealed that former sporting director Richard Hughes strongly advocated for the signing of Antoine Semenyo before his move to Manchester City.
Hughes, who has since departed his role at Anfield, reportedly pushed Liverpool to activate Semenyo’s £60m release clause while the winger was still at Bournemouth.
Having previously worked at Bournemouth himself, Hughes had first-hand knowledge of Semenyo’s quality and was well-placed to help Liverpool move quickly for the Ghana international.
According to the Athletic, Hughes’ recommendation ultimately fell on deaf ears, leaving the door open for Manchester City to win the race for Semenyo’s signature.
Semenyo has wasted no time proving his worth at City, scoring 11 goals in 32 appearances since joining, including the winning goal against Chelsea in last season’s FA Cup final.
That kind of form makes Liverpool’s decision to pass on him look all the more costly, particularly given the context of Mohamed Salah’s decline last season.
With Salah clearly ageing and looking past his best, Semenyo represented a natural and proven Premier League solution to fill that focal attacking role on the right side.
Instead, Liverpool turned to Bradley Barcola this summer, paying almost double what Semenyo would have cost, bringing in the France international from Paris Saint-Germain.
The risk around that investment is evident given that Barcola was not even a regular starter at PSG and has never previously tested himself in the Premier League environment.
Semenyo, by contrast, had been clearly establishing himself as one of the top attacking talents in the English top flight well before his move to City.
The connection Hughes had to Bournemouth could have given Liverpool a genuine advantage in negotiations, making the missed opportunity feel even more avoidable in hindsight.
While other clubs may also regret not acting on Semenyo’s release clause at that price, Liverpool’s situation is unique given that the advice was reportedly coming directly from within their own hierarchy.
The transfer market has continued to inflate rapidly, meaning the £60m that could have secured Semenyo now looks like remarkable value compared to what top attacking players command today.
Liverpool supporters will likely look back on this episode as one of the more significant recruitment missteps of recent seasons, with the consequences now playing out on the pitch.
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