Manchester United target Pep Guardiola factor in Antoine Semenyo transfer hunt | OneFootball

Lingering and growing doubts over the Manchester City future of Pep Guardiola is now being seen as a potential opportunity in the transfer window by Manchester United.

Guardiola is contracted at the Etihad Stadium till the end of the 2026-27 season after penning a two-year deal in November 2024, though there have been whispers in recent months over a possible exit for the Catalan next summer.

Manchester City are in embryonic stage of their transition under director of football Hugo Viana, who made sweeping changes to Guardiola’s ranks upon his arrival this summer and recruited seven new players – after signing off on the notable exits of Kevin De Bruyne, Kyle Walker, Scott Carson, Ilkay Gundogan, Ederson and James McAtee.

The Blues are competing on all fronts this season and are in a strong position to go on and build on their positive runs so far in the Premier League and UEFA Champions League, having registered their place in the Carabao Cup semi-final as well this week by seeing off Brentford at the Etihad Stadium.

City are not expected to be as active in the January 2026 transfer window as they were in the summer but Viana and co are considering the purchase of Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo, who will be available for a mouth-watering £65 million next month.

The Blues need reinforcements in attack owing to a worrying over-reliance on Erling Haaland to shoulder nearly the entirety of the goalscoring responsibility this term, with Guardiola believed to be leading Manchester City’s pursuit of Semenyo, who has established himself as one of the best and most feared attackers in England under Andoni Iraola.

Manchester United have recently entered the race to sign Semenyo, who will have a host of suitors interested in activating his release clause in January, with the Ghana international understood to be keen on making a switch to a club competing for major trophies.

Working with Guardiola is an obvious temptation for any Manchester City target in the transfer market, though Manchester United are actively looking to pip their local rivals to the services of Semenyo by cashing in on doubts over Guardiola’s immediate future at the Etihad Stadium.

According to The Telegraph’s James Ducker, Manchester United will ‘go all-out’ to sign Semenyo in January and hope that the uncertainty over Guardiola’s future could strengthen their hand.

The 25-year-old is known to be in huge demand ahead of the new year, with City and United also joined by Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool in the chase for the versatile forward – who has impressed so far this season alone.

While Manchester City want Antoine Semenyo, the report insists that United are among the suitors out to take advantage of the doubts about whether Guardiola will still be at the Etihad Stadium beyond the end of the ongoing season.

It remains to be seen whether Manchester City follow their interest in Semenyo with a formal bid, with Jeremy Doku sidelined until the New Year and Omar Marmoush representing Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations – amid a concerning lack of goals from the wide attacking areas.