A major transfer battle is brewing for Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo, with Manchester United and Manchester City both locked in talks with the player’s camp for several days now. SoftFootball understands that discussions are ongoing and focused on deal structure and the player’s role, as interest ramps up ahead of January.
Chelsea have also entered the picture, making contact on Tuesday to enquire about conditions of a potential move, adding another heavyweight to an already crowded race, as confirmed by Fabrizio Romano on his official X account.
Fabrizio Romano posted:
Big battle ongoing for Antoine Semenyo as Chelsea also called today to enquire on deal conditions. Manchester United and Manchester City in talks with player’s camp for days, talks remain underway. Liverpool are also interested since November. £65m clause expires on Jan 10.
The growing interest comes amid wider Premier League movement linked to injuries elsewhere, including Liverpool’s situation with Alexander Isak, which was reported by SoftFootball recently.
Semenyo has a £65 million release clause in his contract, made up of £60 million plus £5 million in add-ons, and it is only valid between January 1 and January 10. Bournemouth deliberately structured it that way to give themselves time to line up a replacement.
Manchester United’s interest is not new and goes beyond the summer window, with the club continuing to track his development closely, as previously covered by SoftFootball. Ruben Amorim is open to January business if it fits the club’s long-term plan, though questions remain over where Semenyo would play in his system.
Manchester City remain a very real option. From the player’s point of view, joining Pep Guardiola’s squad would feel like a dream move, even if minutes are not guaranteed with Phil Foden, Jeremy Doku and Rayan Cherki already established behind Erling Haaland.
There is also some quiet uncertainty around Guardiola’s future despite his contract running until 2027, and that subplot could still influence City’s thinking this window.
Liverpool have admired Semenyo since November and have held earlier discussions, according to SoftFootball. They are understood to be weighing their options following Isak’s injury but typically avoid bidding wars.
History shows they sometimes wait until late in the process, as seen with Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo. If Liverpool do make the call, many believe it would be hard for Semenyo to turn down Anfield.
Tottenham, who showed interest earlier in the season, have now moved on to other targets. Bournemouth would prefer to keep Semenyo until the summer if possible, but movement is expected in the first half of January.
With 11 goal contributions in 16 league games this season, the winger is firmly one of the most sought-after names in the window. Where he ends up, though, still feels wide open.
