Thomas Frank Confirms Tottenham ‘Did Everything’ to Sign Antoine Semenyo
- Tottenham tried to sign Antoine Semenyo, with Thomas Frank confirming the club pushed hard to bring the Ghana forward to North London
- Manchester City won the transfer battle, reportedly paying a major fee after Semenyo’s strong season that has delivered consistent goal contributions
- Frank said Spurs are targeting top-level quality, stressing that if the right players aren’t available now, the club will focus on a big summer rebuild instead
Ghana’s top stories, now easier to find. Discover our new search feature!
Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank has confirmed that Spurs made an attempt to sign Antoine Semenyo during the current transfer window.
The 26-year-old attracted interest from several top Premier League clubs after an impressive start to the league season, scoring 10 goals for Bournemouth.
Source: Getty Images
Ultimately, it was Manchester City who came out on top in the race for his signature, and Semenyo is now set to line up against Spurs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday afternoon, per Sports Mole.
City reportedly paid £64 million to secure the Ghana international, who is also expected to feature at the World Cup in June.
Combining his time at Bournemouth and Manchester City this season, Semenyo has registered 14 goal contributions in 22 league matches.
Thomas Frank on Antoine Semenyo
Speaking ahead of Tottenham’s home clash with City this weekend, Frank admitted that the North London club were keen to bring the forward in before the window closed.
“I will go against my rule, hopefully only once, that there is no doubt it was clear that the club wanted to sign Antoine Semenyo,” Frank said via Sky Sports.
“They did everything — I think that is a clear signal that the Lewis family, the majority owners, are very committed. That is a big signing financially and in every aspect.
“So that shows the level of player we are targeting to improve the squad. If we cannot find that level, then it is better to make the right decisions. It’s not just about saying we will add quality players because we all know it’s not that simple. If, for whatever reason, we cannot bring in another player or players in this window, then the summer will be huge, and I have no doubt we will see major improvements then.”
Source: Getty Images
At 26, Semenyo is entering what are widely considered the prime years of his career, making his decision over his next move after Bournemouth a crucial one.
Given the chance to compete for major trophies immediately and develop under Pep Guardiola, it is little surprise the Ghanaian opted for Manchester City.
While Tottenham can point to the appeal of being based in London and having elite facilities, they currently trail well behind the likes of City and Arsenal in terms of on-pitch performance.
Spurs have only brought in Conor Gallagher and Souza so far in this window, despite their need to bring in a left-sided forward increasing, with injuries to Mohammed Kudus and Richarlison and the sale of Brennan Johnson to Crystal Palace.
Semenyo receives high rating
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that the Manchester Evening News rated Antoine Semenyo highly for his display against Wolves.
The Ghanaian forward earned an impressive 8/10 score.
Source: YEN.com.gh
