Liverpool superstar right winger Mohamed Salah still remains without a new contract and could leave the Reds for free this year, with clubs from the Saudi Pro League circling the waters.
Salah has been the best player in the world during the 2024/25 season, firing important goal after important goal and shining as brightly as ever as a playmaker for a Liverpool side that is first in both the Premier League and Champions League.
Despite the fact that Salah is at the top of his game and expected to remain at Anfield for the foreseeable future, Liverpool are doing their due diligence when it comes to identifying potential long-term replacements for the Egyptian icon.
One of those players is Bournemouth breakout star Antoine Semenyo, who is capable of playing anywhere in the front three but has made the majority of his starts for the Cherries as a right winger.
According to a report from the Northern Echo’s Scott Wilson, Liverpool are considering winger prospect Ben Doak, currently on loan at Middlesborough in the Championship, as a makeweight to lessen the 50 million pound valuation Bournemouth have for Semenyo.
This season, Semenyo has scored five goals with two assists for the Cherries while averaging 3.5 combined dribbles completed and fouls drawn per game, making him one of the top all-around players at the position.
Doak is just 19 and has 2 goals and 6 assists for Middlesborough with 2.0 key passes and 1.6 dribbles completed per match in a highly encouraging loan season. He, therefore, may have more long-term value than the 25-year-old Semenyo.
While Semenyo is a good footballer, he doesn’t appear to be anywhere near the level of Salah’s replacement and isn’t a young, high-upside prospect. Doak plays the same position on the right wing, and while it is only the Championship, he is producing better numbers at a much younger age.
Liverpool would be better off sticking with Doak, and it’s unlikely Bournemouth are going to give them much leeway since the priority in transfers these days is cash only.
If they really think they’ll lose Salah, they should be aiming higher than Semenyo. And if they know they are going to be keeping Salah for a few more seasons, which is preferable, it’s better to let Doak develop anyway.
