Man City transfer delay could leave Arsenal facing Antoine Semenyo test

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Just Arsenal News

·31 December 2025

Man City transfer delay could leave Arsenal facing Antoine Semenyo test

It is an open secret within football that Antoine Semenyo has a release clause in his contract that runs until January 10. Under normal circumstances, Manchester City would be expected to trigger that clause as quickly as possible to make the attacker available for selection at the earliest opportunity. However, the context of Bournemouth’s upcoming fixture appears to have influenced the timing of any potential move.

Manchester City are fully aware that the Premier League title race could be decided by the smallest of margins. Pep Guardiola will be keen to take every possible advantage, and he will recognise that Arsenal’s trip to the South Coast becomes significantly more challenging if Semenyo remains available for Bournemouth. The Spaniard will understand the importance of marginal gains at this stage of the season.

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Strategic Considerations in the Title Race

While Manchester City would never publicly admit to delaying a transfer for competitive reasons, it would make little sense for the team sitting second in the table to weaken Bournemouth ahead of their meeting with the league leaders. Allowing Semenyo to feature against Arsenal could prove far more valuable than having him available for selection against Chelsea shortly afterwards.

From City’s perspective, there is logic in waiting until the weekend has passed before finalising any deal. Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola is believed to trust Semenyo to remain professional, even with the knowledge that he could be wearing a different shirt within weeks. The primary risk being taken by City during this delay is the possibility of injury.

Antoine-Semenyo celebrating a goal

Irony and Future Implications

There is a certain irony for Arsenal supporters in this situation. Semenyo grew up supporting Arsenal and would reportedly have favoured a move to the Emirates had interest been shown during this window. It is believed he is on Andrea Berta’s shortlist, but only for a potential summer move.

For Manchester City, the scenario presents an intriguing subplot. Semenyo potentially influencing the title race before even joining his prospective new club would be a dramatic twist. Scoring a decisive goal against Arsenal could serve as a memorable introduction to his future supporters in Manchester, even before he officially becomes part of Guardiola’s squad.

Dan Smith

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