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Ex-Liverpool and Manchester United striker Paul Ince has advised Antoine Semenyo to hold off until the next summer transfer window before departing Bournemouth. Ince reckons a top-four finish in the Premier League will dictate which of his old clubs wins the race for the player.
Semenyo, 25, has been instrumental under Andoni Iraola, netting 18 goals and providing eight assists in the top-flight since the start of the 2024/25 season. This form has sparked speculation about a potential winter transfer, with an $87M (£65m) release clause allegedly in place and Liverpool among several clubs believed to be keen.
However, the forward has been urged to take a moment and consider carefully before making any rash decisions halfway through the current campaign.
In a chat with the Covers.com World Cup betting team, Ince commented: "I was surprised that Liverpool or Manchester United didn't sign Antoine Semenyo at the start of the season, because he's a top player. He should wait until the summer transfer window to make a move; January isn't a great time to move and clubs often don't like parting with players midway through a season.
"I don't see him staying put beyond the summer though. Bournemouth is great at sourcing players from all over the world, but ultimately they've always been a selling club.
"He'll have plenty of options on the table. He's got all the attributes to improve even more too; he's great on both feet, strong, quick and can bag you plenty of goals, as we've seen so far this year."
Liverpool currently occupies seventh position in the Premier League standings. Speculation linking with Semenyo emerges whilst Mohamed Salah's Anfield future beyond January remains uncertain, with Cody Gakpo's recent injury further highlighting the Reds' concerns out wide.
They share the same points tally as sixth-placed arch-rivals Manchester United, who began this campaign hoping to secure European football under manager Ruben Amorim's first complete season at the helm.
The Old Trafford outfit have similarly been connected with the Ghanaian winger. Ince suggested that whichever club can provide Semenyo with Champions League football next term will emerge victorious in the transfer race.
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"In terms of whether he'll move to Liverpool or Man Utd, it depends on which one will finish in the top four and have Champions League football to look forward to next season," he added.
"If I were in his position, I'd stay put for now at Bournemouth until the end of the season, and see which one of those teams finishes in the top four."
Meanwhile, Iraola has provided insight into how Semenyo has handled the transfer speculation surrounding his future. "Obviously, when you hear your name every day in the news, you have to deal with these situations," he said. "But I think he's committed and I haven't seen a lot of changes in him."
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