Liverpool lead Semenyo chase as Man United track Marc Guehi - January blueprint taking shape

Liverpool are moving with intent for Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo, a natural fit for Arne Slot’s high press and direct wide attacks. Manchester United, meanwhile, are closely tracking Marc Guehi’s situation at Crystal Palace as INEOS prioritise a centre back in January. The direction is clear - add a dynamic forward at Anfield and an elite, Premier League-proven defender at Old Trafford. From what I’m hearing around training grounds, both clubs are aligned on profiles, pricing strategy and timing. If talks advance quickly after New Year, these could be the first major dominoes of the window.

In the build-up to the January window, recruitment teams at top Premier League clubs have refined shortlists and opened discreet lines of communication with selling clubs and player entourages. Liverpool’s focus has narrowed to a high-intensity wide forward who can press and attack space, with Antoine Semenyo matching those criteria after a strong calendar year for Bournemouth. Manchester United’s sporting leadership under INEOS have placed a centre back at the top of the agenda, with Marc Guehi admired for his composure and recovery pace following an excellent summer with England. Both situations are gathering speed as squads prepare mid-season adjustments.

🚨 BREAKING: Antoine Semenyo is one to watch, even if Liverpool are viewed as frontrunners in that particular pursuit, and expect United to be watching Marc Guehi’s situation with interest given his contract will be six months from expiring. A centre back is on the agenda with

@UtdXclusive

Impact Analysis

From a tactical lens, Semenyo to Liverpool makes a lot of sense. Under Arne Slot, the wingers must sprint the first line of pressure, carry in transition and attack the back post. Semenyo is relentless without the ball, powerful in contact, and has cleaned up his final action over the last 12 months. I remember facing wide men with that low centre of gravity - they tilt you one way then punch through the gap. At Anfield, those diagonals from the full backs and the third-man runs from midfield will give him constant lanes. He profiles as immediate rotation with scope to start when the game state demands verticality.

United’s need is different but just as urgent. Aerial control, clean feet under pressure, and availability have been recurring themes in their recruitment meetings. Guehi ticks them all. He steps in on the front foot, rarely dives in, and rotates possession calmly into midfield. He showed tournament temperament with England in the summer and carries himself like a leader. Next to a more aggressive partner, his timing in the cover channel can tidy United’s defensive line and cut the cheap counters that have cost them. Premier League adaptation risk is low. The challenge is price and Palace’s leverage, but the footballing logic is airtight.

Reaction

United fans are split between ambition and realism. One camp wants INEOS to be ruthless, calling for a bold push - numbers like 65 for Semenyo and 20 for Guehi were floated, the kind of bids that test resolve but may not match today’s market. Another camp doubts United can land both, wary of recent windows and the need to move out players to balance books. The tone is consistent though - Guehi is seen as a clear upgrade, a plug-and-play starter who raises the floor immediately.

Among Liverpool supporters, the mood is quietly confident. Many see Semenyo as a stylistic fit for Slot’s structure - a wide forward who presses like a midfielder and finishes like a nine. The conversation I’ve seen echoes a demand for depth across the front line, especially with fixture congestion. Neutral fans chime in with a reminder that Bournemouth and Palace are no pushovers, warning that neither club will accept cut-price offers mid-season. It’s typical January energy - excitement, skepticism, and a shared understanding that timing and decisive negotiation win these races.

Social reactions

United ain’t gonna drop points again palace cuz Bournemouth still a solid team than palace 🙂

Lord Clerry (@LordClerry)

guehi will be crazy upgrade

ahh😩 mac (@ohdiosmioesmac)

Ineos if you are serious get semenyo for 65 and offer palace 20 for Guehi in Jan.

PSR (@PSR_Mufc)

Prediction

Scenario 1 - Liverpool close Semenyo early: If Bournemouth receive a package with strong fixed fee and sensible add-ons tied to starts and European qualification, they engage. Liverpool’s sporting team like the profile and the resale curve. Slot gets a ready-made presser who can play right or left and attack late spaces. This can move quickly if personal terms are aligned before the window opens.

Scenario 2 - United advance for Guehi with a structured proposal: Palace value their England international highly, so a tiered bid with achievable add-ons, plus a sell-on, is the path. If United can present a clean exit route for one center back on their books, they’ll have room to strike. Guehi’s consistency and leadership suit INEOS’s brief for younger, Premier League-proven talent.

Fallback routes: If Liverpool face late competition, they could pivot to a similar athletic wide forward already in the league. For United, alternatives stay warm in the background, but the message is clear - a calm, front-foot defender with high availability is non-negotiable. My call - Liverpool land Semenyo in January, United push hard for Guehi and keep the door open to conclude swiftly if Palace soften late in the window.

Latest today

• Maddison’s son wears Bellingham’s kit - a wholesome moment bridging Spurs and Real Madrid
• Joshua Zirkzee keen on January switch to AS Roma as talks accelerate
• Real Madrid injury picture worsens at Valdebebas as key names stay in rehab
• Benjamin Sesko set to miss United vs Everton, rivals scoff as Zirkzee primed to start

Conclusion

I’ve played with and against this type of profile. Semenyo brings that punch off the flank that unnerves full backs and center halves. At Liverpool he won’t need to create the game - just attack space, trigger the press, and finish moves. That’s a perfect marriage of role and skill set. United’s picture is about control. You can’t build a title-chasing side without a reliable first pass out from the back and an organizer who reads danger early. Guehi gives you that calm heartbeat that settles everyone around him.

January is rarely pretty. You overpay a touch to fix a clear need. But if you buy the right age, the right attitude, and the right habits, you save a season and set up the next one. Liverpool look primed to act decisively for Semenyo. United, under INEOS, finally have a coherent lens for recruitment and are lining up a center back who fits it. If both clubs execute, we’ll look back at this window as the one that tightened a title push in one city and stabilized a rebuild in another.