Manchester City is nearing an agreement with Bournemouth to sign forward Antoine Semenyo for £65 million. However, Bournemouth’s manager, Andoni Iraola, has firmly stated that Semenyo “definitely has not” played his final game for the Cherries.
Discussions regarding the transfer of the 25-year-old Ghanaian player have progressed significantly, with negotiations taking place over the last 48 hours to finalize the details.
City has committed to meeting Semenyo’s £65 million release clause, and the player’s representatives met in Manchester on Monday to finalize his personal terms.
Talks are still ongoing as of Tuesday, with reports suggesting a complete agreement is imminent, especially with the January transfer window set to open on Thursday.
Semenyo, who participated for the full 90 minutes in the recent 2-2 draw against Chelsea on Tuesday, is reportedly eager to have clarity about his future by January 1.
Nonetheless, Iraola is confident that the forward will play against Arsenal on Saturday, January 3.
“He is a crucial player for us, and he will remain with us,” the Bournemouth manager stated in an interview with BBC Match of the Day.
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Sources have informed BBC Sport that Bournemouth wants him to feature against Arsenal and Tottenham on Wednesday, January 7, before the release clause in his contract expires on January 10.
Liverpool has expressed interest in Semenyo, but unless Manchester City makes a last-minute offer, he appears set to join the Premier League champions.
While several clubs, including Chelsea, Manchester United, and Tottenham, have shown interest, City remains the only club that has made formal contact with Bournemouth.
“It’s Like Losing Two or Three Players”
Semenyo joined Bournemouth from Bristol City in 2023 for a fee exceeding £10 million [Getty Images]
While Semenyo did concede a penalty during the Chelsea match, he showcased his value with two long throws that contributed to both of Bournemouth’s goals.
At the conclusion of the match, he acknowledged the away fans in what seemed to be a farewell, with multiple teammates also coming over to embrace him.
This season, Semenyo has scored nine goals and assisted three for Bournemouth, and teammate David Brooks acknowledged the significant impact of his potential departure. “I’m not going to deny that he leaves a big gap,” Brooks remarked to BBC Match of the Day. “He’s our top scorer and has been a fantastic player for us over the last couple of years. Everyone in the team values Ants, and if he moves on, we wish him all the best—he deserves it.”
Former Chelsea and Blackburn striker Chris Sutton commented on BBC Radio 5 Live, “Three and a half phenomenal seasons for Bournemouth—Andoni Iraola now faces the challenge of finding a replacement for him and his contributions.” He emphasized Semenyo’s remarkable ability and the high regard the Bournemouth fans have for him.
Former Aston Villa and Manchester United striker Dion Dublin added that losing Semenyo would feel like losing more than one player for Bournemouth. “As a manager, you might think, ‘bring in the funds, I can manage,’ and I’m sure Iraola feels that way,” he stated. “But Semenyo’s impact is so significant that it’s akin to losing two or three players.”