Manchester City forward set for January exit if Pep Guardiola signs Antoine Semenyo | OneFootball

Manchester City and Norway forward Oscar Bobb could leave the Etihad Stadium in January if the Blues secure the arrival of Antoine Semenyo in January, as per a new report.

Bobb has struggled to retain his place in the starting XI this season despite beginning the 2025-26 campaign as a starter, having starred in a 4-0 opening day Premier League win away at Wolves to kickstart Manchester City’s evolution under director of football Hugo Viana.

The 22-year-old spent nearly the entirety of the previous season on the sidelines after suffering a leg break in training days after helping his boyhood club lift the 2024 FA Community Shield, making his long-awaited comeback as a substitute in a 2-0 victory over Leicester City in April.

However, recurring fitness setbacks since have prevented Bobb from establishing himself as a first-team regular under Guardiola, who has shown patience to see if the young forward can step up and make his place in the senior ranks.

Bobb has been hit and miss when given a chance in recent months and has largely been restricted to Carabao Cup games, with Phil Foden returning to his best form on the right side of attack and Jeremy Doku making the left wing spot his own after a strong start to the season.

City remain in an embryonic period of their transition under Viana, who made sweeping changes to the first-team ranks in the recent transfer window, introducing seven new signings and signing off on the exits of several senior stars past their respective primes.

The Blues are two points adrift of Premier League leaders Arsenal in the title race and could end the season with silverware, having taken a giant step towards UEFA Champions League Round of 16 qualification by beating Real Madrid in the group-stage earlier this month, and seeing off Brentford a few weeks ago to seal a place in the Carabao Cup semi-final.

As such, Viana and executives at the Etihad Stadium have won the race to sign Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo, who has declared Manchester City as his preferred destination in January following interest from Manchester United, Tottenham, Liverpool and Chelsea.

Fabrizio Romano has reported that should Manchester City go on and close a deal for Semenyo, it is highly likely that Bobb seriously considers a permanent move away from the Etihad Stadium next month.

It has been added that Borussia Dortmund are amongst several clubs to have expressed interest in Bobb, who came through the ranks at the Etihad Stadium but faces an uncertain future in the north-west following a lack of minutes in recent months.

Guardiola has personally driven Manchester City’s interest in Semenyo to strengthen a frontline overly reliant on Erling Haaland, with the Bournemouth star as close to a guarantee of goals from out wide as they come in the Premier League.

Bobb is contracted until 2029 at the Etihad Stadium but ahead of a crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign for Norway, the attacker will mull over his future in the January window should Manchester City secure the arrival of Semenyo from the Vitality Stadium.