Blockbuster update: United ready to trigger superstar’s release clause in January, PL rivals will be shaking – report

Manchester United could do with more quality out wide, especially on the left, given the obvious lack of options at Ruben Amorim’s disposal. Amad has made the right wingback position his own, but it has been a different story on the left. The head coach has alternated between Diogo Dalot and Patrick Dorgu, but neither have managed to make a solid enough impact. What the Red Devils need is a wingback capable of beating his man and either cutting in to shoot or someone capable of finding a teammate inside the box. United ready to trigger release clause Creativity-wise, Antoine Semenyo of Bournemouth fits the bill. He is third among his Premier League peers for goal contributions this season, with six goals and three assists. And the Ghanaian is versatile enough to play as one of the attacking midfielders, as well as a wingback, and he can do a job on either flank. As previously relayed by The Peoples Person, the 25-year-old is available for £65 million in January, with Liverpool also eyeing the Cherries talisman. Liverpool vs United for Antoine Semenyo Now with the whole Mo Salah fiasco, the Merseyside club are expected to go all out to land Antoine Semenyo during the winter window. However, as per Teamtalk, the Old Trafford side will not give up without a fight. The report mentions that INEOS are desperate to win the race, and are ready to trigger the Ghana international’s release clause as soon as the window opens. “Manchester United sources insist they would have the capability to meet Antoine Semenyo’s release clause in January, as TEAMtalk assesses the state of play as Liverpool plan their own move for the Bournemouth star. “Semenyo has a release clause of £65m (£60m plus £5m in add-ons), which will be active in January, which has put interested parties on red alert. The clause is set to drop to around £50m in the summer. Antoine Semenyo or a midfielder? United’s dilemma “Their main dilemma now opening up is whether to go head-to-head with Liverpool to sign him. The current suggestions are that Bournemouth’s Semenyo would choose Liverpool as his top destination. This could prove off-putting to United. “Mohamed Salah has rocked Anfield with his public criticism of the Liverpool hierarchy, leaving the club suddenly having to escalate plans to replace their star player.” Suggestions are that Antoine Semenyo would probably choose Anfield over Old Trafford, with United have a couple of aces up their sleeves to persuade the attacker to join Ruben Amorim’s project instead. What Amorim needs most is a new midfielder and a not another attacker. The ball is in INEOS’ court. Losing Semenyo would be a massive blow in either case as he could single-handedly push the club closer to the top while scaring their rivals into submission. Feature image Ryan Pierse via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Ayantan Chowdhury After failing to become a professional footballer, Ayantan switched to the next best thing: writing about the greatest football club in the world. He has extensive sports journalism experience, having worked for over 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25