Manchester City are reportedly in advanced talks to sign Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo, with a £65m release clause looming on January 10th. The 25-year-old has also attracted interest from fellow Premier League giants Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham, and Chelsea, making him the central figure of this January transfer window.

Semenyo’s rise has been remarkable. Rejected by Arsenal, Spurs, and Millwall as a youth player, he honed his skills in the West Country academy of former managers Dave Hockaday. After loan spells at Bath, Newport, and Sunderland while at Bristol City, he finally established himself as a first-team player in 2020-21.

A £10m move to Bournemouth in January 2023 proved pivotal, and Semenyo has consistently improved his performance. The question now is: why is Manchester City so keen on him, and can Bournemouth convince him to stay?

Pep Guardiola has been effusive in his praise of Semenyo, calling him “extraordinary” and highlighting his “energy, confidence, and movement.” He stated, “He doesn’t stop running, he attacks space so well, and when he has the ball, you feel something will happen. He’s improving every game. Players like him make this league special – always hungry, always brave.”

While his statistics may not immediately scream ‘upgrade’ on City’s existing wing options, Semenyo’s impact is undeniable. He has a better goal and assist rate per game than Jeremy Doku, Savinho, Phil Foden, and Omar Marmoush, having scored four goals and provided two assists directly following a carry – the joint most in the Premier League since April.

Former England goalkeeper Rob Green explained on BBC 5 Live, “He can drive forward with the ball vertically, rather than Doku, who comes in and out. He can do something different, Pep is looking for.” Green also pointed to City’s current injury situation with Oscar Bobb and Doku sidelined, and Marmoush away on Africa Cup of Nations duty, adding, “He can help short-term and long-term.”

Interestingly, Semenyo’s Ghanaian heritage means he won’t be affected by the Africa Cup of Nations, as Ghana failed to qualify. He has been directly involved in 20 Premier League goals in 2023/24, with 14 goals and six assists – a feat only previously achieved by Tony Yeboah for Leeds in 1995.

Bournemouth, currently on a seven-match winless run, will undoubtedly be reluctant to lose a player who contributes to 11 of their 26 goals this season. However, they are closer to the top four than the relegation zone, and manager Andoni Iraola is highly regarded.

Former Bournemouth striker Sam Vokes believes Semenyo is in a good place, telling BBC Solent, “I don’t know why you’d want to leave that setup… with the way he’s performing and the way that Bournemouth have been doing – it looks like he’s enjoying his football.”

The potential arrival of Semenyo could prompt a reshuffle at Manchester City, with Savinho or Oscar Bobb potentially moving on. Guardiola’s desire for a player who can drive forward vertically and add goals from the wing suggests Semenyo is a key piece in his plans to chase down Arsenal in the title race.

Image Source: MYJOYONLINE