Liverpool told not to sign Antoine Semenyo and instead fix problems elsewhere

 Liverpool have been told by former player John Barnes not to attempt sign Antoine Semenyo in the January transfer window as focus would be better spent elsewhere.

Reports of a £65m release clause which becomes active in January have many clubs looking at the 25-year-old after the best Premier League season of his career to date but the Anfield side are one of the most strongly linked to the Bournemouth player.

Semenyo, who will stay with Bournemouth after Ghana failed to qualify for AFCON, has been touted as a long-term replacement for Mohamed Salah but Barnes believes signing players in January is a fool’s business.

“January is not a time to sign players,” Barnes told the Mirror. “And if you look at what we have, we haven’t got a problem scoring goals and creating chances.

“We’ve got Gakpo, we’ve got Isak, we’ve got Wirtz, we still have Mo. We have Ngumoha. That is not a problem for us. So, of course, if you then feel that long-term you want him, but I don’t think January is a time to be signing players.”