Richard Hughes FAVOURITE set for £75m Saudi mega deal

Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes acquired a sterling reputation as a transfer expert during his time at Bournemouth.

The Scot was technical director at the South Coast club before arriving at Anfield, overseeing the construction of most of Andoni Iraola’s current set-up.

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The likes of Milos Kerkez - a renowned Liverpool target - and Illia Zabarnyi were signed under the former midfielder’s watch.

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Hughes also had success in selling on his proteges for big money, banking enormous fees for players like Nathan Ake, Dominic Solanke and Aaron Ramsdale.

He had the knack of acquiring players from further down the football pyramid before giving them the chance to flourish into genuine top-level performers.

Tyrone Mings and Callum Wilson were among those plucked from relative obscurity before going on to star for Bournemouth and earn the club big fees in the process.

Semenyo signed by Hughes

Another in that category would be Antoine Semenyo, the 25-year-old Ghana winger tipped for a Liverpool transfer this summer alongside Kerkez and Dean Huijsen.

The former Bristol City attacker was signed for only £10m back in January 2023 and has become a mainstay in Iraola’s side, contributing eight goals and four assists in 31 matches this term.

Bournemouth have got Semenyo contracted until 2029 but it’s widely expected that a sizeable fee will see them part ways this summer.

A new report in GIVEMESPORT suggests it will take £75m to prise Semenyo away, with Liverpool said to be rivalled by Arsenal and Manchester United in the report.

Ronaldo's Saudi side want Semenyo

However, an added complicating factor could be the presence of Al-Nassr of the Saudi Pro League, who boast Sadio Mane and Cristiano Ronaldo in the line-up and who signed Jhon Duran in January.

Al-Nassr have also been linked with a move for Liverpool forwards Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez and it is hard to see them taking all three on board this summer given the Saudi league’s foreign player restrictions.

Accordingly this could be a double blow for the Reds.

Not only would they lose out on a proven Premier League talent but FSG would also likely lose a suitor for two of their assets touted for a summer sale.

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In order to keep the prospect of earning decent money for Diaz or Nunez alive, Hughes might have to stump up the funds to sign Semenyo all over again.