“The best player I had ever seen” – Antoine Semenyo receives ultimate complimemt from former Bournemouth teammate | OneFootball

Celta Vigo and Romania goalkeeper Ionuț Radu has revealed he predicted Antoine Semenyo’s rise to stardom long before the winger joined Manchester City.

Semenyo’s rise from the lower leagues of English football to the Etihad Stadium has been rapid, with the 26-year-old joining forces with Pep Guardiola in January after signing from Bournemouth for £62.5 million.

A series of Premier League clubs and scouts closely monitored Semenyo’s progress at Bournemouth. He scored 32 goals and assisted 11 times in 110 games for the Cherries since joining in January 2023.

Semenyo’s appeal for Manchester City and Guardiola

Moreover, he had scored 11 goals and assisted nine times in his last 18 outings for Bournemouth in the Premier League – displaying a combination of power, direct running, and elite finishing.

Those performances did not go unnoticed. Before Manchester City made a decisive move, several clubs were reportedly monitoring the 26-year-old. His tactical profile – a winger who can stretch defensive lines and attack central spaces – fits well into Guardiola’s attacking style.

One player who had little doubt about Semenyo’s trajectory is Celta de Vigo goalkeeper Ionuț Radu, who spent part of the 2023-24 season on loan from Inter Milan at Bournemouth. He trained with Semenyo in England’s south and quickly got a strong sense of the Ghanian’s potential.

Radu has had to relocate frequently during his career, including spells away from Inter Milan, and eventually settling in Spain. In an interview with AS, the Romanian talked about how hard it had been to deal with the instability of repeated loan moves.

Radu: I told my family he was the best player I had ever seen

“Before arriving here (at Celta de Vigo), I was stressed because I was always joining teams on loan from Inter,” Radu said, as relayed by Sport Witness.

“Loans are very detrimental; you can’t have continuity. Here, I’ve found my place, peace of mind and I’m very happy. It’s the best experience I’ve ever had.”

When asked about Semenyo’s improvement and how he might affect high-profile games like City’s upcoming Carabao Cup final against Arsenal, Radu appeared extremely positive and optimistic in his praise.

“On my first day in Bournemouth, I told my family that he (Semenyo) was the best player I had ever seen,” he added. “I also told them that he was going to be the biggest sale the club would ever make – and that happened this year.

“He (Semenyo) is an incredible player. He has a lot of strength, technique – he has everything. He’s very good and I respect him a lot.”

How has Semenyo settled to life at the Etihad Stadium?

Early signs at City suggest that the assessment may have been justified. Semenyo has already scored seven goals and provided two assists in his first 16 games for Manchester City – an outstanding return in his first few months under Guardiola.

For Guardiola , the addition of Semenyo gives them more options in attack. The Ghanian’s physicality, directness and finishing skills add a new attacking dimension to a team that is mostly built around positional control and intricate passing.

If things keep going the way they are for Semenyo, Radu’s prediction from his first day of training at Bournemouth may come true. Semenyo’s rise from a promising Premier League forward to an important player on one of Europe’s most formidable teams is already well underway.