Andoni Iraola expressed his intention to retain Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo for the long term following a disappointing 4-1 defeat to Brentford.
Semenyo netted his ninth goal of the season at Gtech Community Stadium, but it served only as a consolation as Bournemouth extended their winless streak to nine matches, with Kevin Schade scoring a hat-trick.
Amid increasing speculation regarding Semenyo’s future, Manchester City is reportedly making strides to acquire the winger, who has a £65 million release clause that becomes active when the January transfer window opens, according to ESPN sources.
However, Iraola is optimistic about Semenyo’s participation in the upcoming match against Chelsea on Tuesday.
When asked if he preferred to receive a transfer fee for Semenyo sooner rather than later, Iraola replied, “No, the longer Antoine can play for us, the better.”
“If he can stay for years, that’s ideal! If it’s only months, then so be it. If it’s just weeks, we take what we can get, but the more he plays with us, the better for the team.”
“Antoine’s role is clear. He is a key player for us, and even on days like today when he may not shine, he remains a consistent threat to score and assist.”
“Naturally, I don’t want to lose him; that’s absolutely clear. Yet, some factors are beyond my control. He’ll be ready for the next match [against Chelsea], and I hope he can contribute a lot more to our team.”
Semenyo’s goal was one of the few bright spots for Bournemouth in a match where Brentford took full advantage of the visitors’ slow start.
Schade opened the scoring in the seventh minute with a well-placed shot from an Igor Thiago assist, followed by an unfortunate own goal from Bournemouth goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic, giving Brentford a comfortable two-goal lead by halftime.
Schade struck again six minutes after the break, and despite Semenyo’s close-range back-heel goal in the 75th minute, Brentford’s Schade completed his hat-trick in stoppage time with a deft finish from Mikkel Damsgaard’s cross.
Keith Andrews praised the forward, saying, “I’m really pleased and think Kevin truly deserves this.”
“He works tirelessly for the team, which is essential for our attacking players; they need to sprint back as much as they sprint forward. He’s consistently a threat, and in recent weeks, he’s started to find himself in great positions. Today’s hat-trick was fantastic—right foot, left foot, and header. It doesn’t get more complete than that.”
“A great win and a strong performance overall. The first half was sensational.”
Iraola’s focus was more on Bournemouth’s struggles, pointing out that they haven’t won in the Premier League since October 26.
“It’s simple to analyze today’s game. We showed up 45 minutes late to a Premier League match, and typically, when that happens, you find yourself out of the game,” Iraola stated.
PA Media contributed to this report.