Antoine Semenyo Faces Man City Setback After Bournemouth Transfer Breakthrough
- Manchester City’s move for Antoine Semenyo is expected to trigger changes in the forward line as Pep Guardiola rebalances his squad
- Increased competition and form concerns mean one of Man City’s long-serving attackers could see his role reduced
- Interest from abroad has opened the door to a potential mid-season departure as the window approaches
Antoine Semenyo is expected to depart Bournemouth in the January transfer window and has reportedly targeted a move to Manchester City.
However, the Ghanaian forward could face an immediate setback at the Etihad Stadium, with his preferred No. 24 shirt currently unavailable.
Source: Getty Images
Semenyo has been a standout performer at the Vitality Stadium since arriving from Bristol City in early 2023, registering 30 goals and 13 assists across 106 appearances for the Dorset side.
His Bournemouth contract contains a £65million release clause that becomes active next month, with Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea all credited with strong interest.
However, the 25-year-old is expected to turn down those options in favour of a switch to Manchester City.
Since joining the Cherries, Semenyo has consistently worn the No. 24 shirt, a number under which he has delivered some of the finest displays of his career.
Shirt number headache awaits Semenyo
He has stuck with the same squad number in recent years, even as he emerged as Bournemouth’s standout performer, underlining just how attached he is to the shirt.
However, the No. 24 jersey would not be available at Manchester City, having been taken by Josko Gvardiol following his move from RB Leipzig two-and-a-half years ago.
As a result, Semenyo would be forced to choose a new number should he complete a switch to the eight-time Premier League champions.
One possible alternative is the No. 42, a number he previously wore at Bristol City and during loan spells with Newport and Sunderland, while the vacant No. 12 could also be an option.
Source: Getty Images
Bournemouth’s form has dipped sharply in recent months, with the Cherries collecting just four points from their last eight Premier League outings.
Defeats against Manchester City, Aston Villa, Sunderland and Everton during that spell have seen the south coast side slide dramatically from second place down to 15th in the table.
They return to action on Saturday with a trip to Brentford, and ahead of the fixture, head coach Andoni Iraola was asked about Antoine Semenyo’s future and responded by saying:
“I understand that there is a lot of noise around Antoine.
“There are situations that we cannot control but, right now, Antoine is our player and he’s going to continue playing for us.
“If you ask me, I don’t want to lose him, definitely don’t want to lose him. But like we always say, every time the market opens, you never know what’s going to happen.”
Why Guardiola likes Semenyo
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Pep Guardiola increasingly confident of winning the race to sign Semenyo, with club sources outlining why the Bournemouth forward has become such a priority target.
Interest in the Ghanaian attacker has been widespread, with all of England’s traditional big six - Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham - registering their admiration.
Source: YEN.com.gh
