Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo scored in a roller-coaster 4-4 draw against Manchester United on Monday, but it emerged manager Ruben Amorim wants to keep him at Old Trafford permanently.
Manchester United are set to make a move for Antoine Semenyo in January and are already planning where he will play. Bournemouth star Semenyo was one of eight different goalscorers in Monday’s 4-4 draw at Old Trafford.
The 25-year-old forward has made a strong start to the season, ending Bournemouth’s run of seven games without a goal. Semenyo followed up his impressive 2024-25 season with six goals and three assists in Cherries’ opening eight games.
His achievements with Andoni Iraola’s side have attracted the interest of several Premier League clubs, with Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham also interested. And it is inquiries from rivals like these that could prompt United to take action.
The Independent reports that United are willing to sign Semenyo during the winter transfer window if a rival announces a move. The Red Devils are reportedly confident of winning the race to sign the London-born Ghanaian international, as they plan for another big-spending summer, despite not featuring in European football this season.
Semenyo’s contract with Bournemouth comes with a £65m release clause, but there is a catch. It needs to be triggered by January 15 to give the Cherries enough time to sign a replacement before the deadline closes on February 3.
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Ruben Amorim is said to be a fan of the former Bristol City star’s tactical versatility, with United envisioning him playing at left wing-back and Amad on the right. In Friday’s pre-match press conference, Amorim described Semenyo as a “special player”.
Semenyo added that he could move to Old Trafford next month. Until then, he has been focused on helping Bournemouth regain form after their winless spell extended to seven games.
“I’m not really thinking about it,” Semenyo told Sky Sports when asked about his high-profile future last month. “I try to stay present as much as possible. I always watch the news and I watch it as well. It’s not that I don’t care, but I try to stay focused.
“I’m enjoying my football here. If I’m not scoring goals, it all goes away. I’m staying where I am, doing my best for the team and trying to score goals. And you never know what will happen in the future.”
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Cherries sold Dean Heusen, Milos Kerkes and Ilia Zabarny last summer for a total of £150m, and Semenyo could be next in line at Bournemouth. “There was a lot of interest and interaction with the club when they all left,” he said.
“But I knew in my head that the manager was trying to do something this year. The way the season ended last year was very good and I think we can continue, especially with the players we have brought in.”
“I wasn’t too confident at first, but it’s going like a house on fire. I’m glad I decided to stay here, because I’m enjoying every moment.”
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