‘Finalise’—Antoine Semenyo Closing on Transfer to Chosen Suitor

Antoine Semenyo is set to become the second most expensive African player of all time, behind £72 million Nicolas Pépé.

Antoine Semenyo has been most keenly chased by Liverpool and Man City. / Visionhaus/Getty Images

Manchester City look set to hold off late competition from Liverpool to complete the signing of Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth, as a new report suggests his representatives are due in Manchester to finalise the terms of a contract.

Semenyo has been the Premier League’s breakout player over the past 18 months, scoring nine goals in 17 appearances for the Cherries during the first half of this season alone.

The race for his signature was sparked by a £65 million ($87.8 million) release clause that was a key condition of him signing a new Bournemouth contract in July. Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur have also shown varying levels of interest in the Ghana international, but City look like they will get over the line first, after Liverpool appeared to be gearing up an approach.

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Semenyo’s representatives are expected to be in Manchester on Monday and will agree on the personal terms of a proposed deal with City, per Sky Sports News.

Chelsea were earlier believed to have enquired directly to the player’s camp to gauge his interest and salary expectations but pulled out of the race soon afterwards. Interest from the red half of Manchester was being driven by opportunism more than anything. As such, despite the belief that Liverpool are ready to give Semenyo another option, Sky’s report adds that City are thought to have been the only club so far to actually get in touch with Bournemouth about the release clause.

Now, with talks set to progress in the coming few days, City are keen to have a transfer ready for completion as soon as the winter window formally opens on Thursday, Jan. 1.

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Man City’s Agressive January Recruitment Strategy Continues

Omar Marmoush headlined Man City spending last January. / Visionhaus/Getty Images

While the January transfer window has historically been seen as lacking options or value, this will be the second season in a row that City have gone big in winter—assuming the £65 million Semenyo deal goes through.

This time last year, after watching their 2024–25 season fall apart in November, City got a jump on the summer market by starting a necessary squad rebuild six months early. The jury is still out on most of last January’s new arrivals—injuries and loss of form mean Omar Marmoush hadn’t scored a Premier League goal this season before heading off to the Africa Cup of Nations—but Nico González has been a very welcome addition in midfield given Rodri’s ongoing fitness problems.

Overall, more than £170 million was spent on four new players, with another £65 million now set to go on Semenyo, who it is hoped will lighten the goalscoring burden on Erling Haaland.

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Man City January Spending in 2024–25

Player	Fee	Arrived From
Abdukodir Khusanov	£33.6 million	RC Lens
Vitor Reis	£29.6 million	Palmeiras
Omar Marmoush	£59 million	Eintracht Frankfurt
Nico González	£50 million	Fiorentina

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