By: Kwame Bediako
Manchester City leads the charge for Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, deep in talks to activate his £65m release clause before its January 10 expiry, as Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham and Chelsea circle.
The 25-year-old Ghana international’s journey, from Arsenal, Spurs, and Millwall snubs to Bristol City loans and a £10m Cherries switch in 2023, highlights a breakout fueled by grit.
Yet with five elite suitors, Bournemouth’s seven-game winless skid raises the stakes: can Iraola’s project, new facilities, stadium dreams, tempt him amid Champions League lures?
Stats Scream Value: Does Semenyo Trump City’s Wing Wizards?
£65m represents bargain-basement value for a peak-age winger like Semenyo, even if he trails Doku and Cherki in chances created per 90 and barely outpaces Savinho in dribble success.
His output steals the show: joint-league lead in goals/assists from carries since April (4G/2A), 69 successful dribbles (3rd in PL), and shot volume matching Salah and Palmer.
Guardiola loves his “extraordinary” straight-line surges, contrasting Doku’s weaves, ideal for hunting Arsenal in the title race amid injuries to Bobb/Doku and Marmoush’s AFCON call-up.
He smashes xG expectations, with 20 Premier League goal involvements in 2025 already, only the second Ghanaian ever to do that, following Tony Yeboah’s Leeds heroics in 1995.
Cherries’ Counter: Loyalty or Legacy Calling Semenyo Away?
Semenyo has directly contributed to 11 of Bournemouth’s 26 goals this season, making him indispensable to Andoni Iraola amid the Cherries’ seven-game winless streak since October that dropped them to 15th.
Yet optimism lingers at Bournemouth—points-wise, they’re nearer the top four than the relegation zone.
Iraola, widely seen as one of the Premier League’s sharpest tacticians, unlocked Semenyo’s potential so fully that nearly every big English club now covets him.
Coupled with fresh training grounds and plans for a new stadium, Bournemouth has real leverage to hold onto their star.
