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Former Manchester City defender Danny Mills has suggested that his previous club seriously consider the idea of swooping on Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo.

City’s search for long-term attacking reinforcements has been a recurring theme throughout recent months and years, with club officials continually assessing options across Europe and the Premier League.

With Pep Guardiola’s side still adapting following the exits of Riyad Mahrez and Jack Grealish in recent markets, conversations around restoring natural width and pace to the front line continue to grow louder. Semenyo’s rise at Bournemouth has ensured the 25-year-old remains a name repeatedly surfacing in recruitment discussions.

Liverpool and Tottenham have both explored the market for versatile attackers, while City have kept their long-term options open, especially with several current squad members facing uncertain futures ahead of 2025. The club’s thinking is increasingly future-focused, and external voices are now adding weight to the idea of pursuing Semenyo more seriously.

Bournemouth, for their part, continue to insist the player has not asked to leave, despite reports. The south-coast side are aware strong performances heading into the new year could attract bids, but Semenyo’s stance remains calm and committed.

Speaking exclusively to City Xtra on behalf of online casino BetWright, Danny Mills was quizzed on reports linking Manchester City with interest in Bournemouth’s Semenyo, and how the signing of the player could possibly disrupt their attacking system.

“City aren’t where they used to be in attack. Since [Riyad] Mahrez left, and Jack Grealish came in and was fantastic for a bit, I don’t think City have ever really replaced fast, quick, wide players. [Phil] Foden’s not a wide player as such, Bernardo Silva has done it on occasions, David Silva was a No.8 or No.10 and never a wide-man,” said Mills.

He continued, “They’ve looked at Savinho, [Jeremy] Doku, [Joao] Cancelo sort of played there for a bit and ended up at full-back, inside midfield. They’ve never had a Mahrez. Riyad Mahrez was unbelievable, incredible to watch, the way he played, the goals he scored. Grealish when he was on fire was doing that, but obviously he’s no longer there.

“If you can add strength to your starting eleven in January, you do it – simple as that. Every team I’ve been at, every team I’ve played at, every manager I’ve worked under, if you can strengthen within reasonable costs obviously, strengthen your starting eleven and improve, you do it.

“The end of the season is looking at what we need in terms of depth and I think he [Semenyo] probably would improve their starting eleven. I think yes, if you can get him, £65 million? It’s not a huge amount of money in the modern day game.”

But any signing of Antoine Semenyo may raise further questions concerning the future of Omar Marmoush, who already finds himself largely acting as a deputy to Erling Haaland in attack at the Etihad Stadium.

“I think it almost all depends on the individual,” Mills responded when asked what the future could hold for Marmoush. “You have to accept you’re going to play second fiddle to Erling Haaland. Do you wait until potentially Erling Haaland decides to move?

“We’ve all heard about rumours in the past – what’s he signed now, a 27-year contract or whatever? Ludicrous. But, I’m sure there are clauses, buy-out or whatever. We’ve all heard about rumours it might be somewhere else he wants to play eventually.

“So either you say, ‘I’ll sit for a couple of seasons, learn, maybe win some trophies’, but then how much do you want to play? [Julian] Alvarez has done the same sort of thing. You had it before when [Sergio] Aguero was there, he was No.1, [Gabriel] Jesus came and was never going to eclipse him, and then he moved,” Mills continued.

“So I think you can suffer that for a couple of seasons, but if you’re never going to get a chance, get that opportunity, there should be a burning desire within every single player, you want to play. Trophies are great, but if I’m honest, if you’re sat on the bench and picking up trophies, they look brilliant on your CV, brilliant when you talk, but you want to win them.

“You don’t want to be coming on as a last minute sub and going, ‘I won the Champions League!’ Did you really? Were you really part of it? No you weren’t, simple as that. I know lads at Man United that have done that, played a couple of games in the Champions League and have the Champions League winners’ medal – they don’t really believe they won the Champions League.

“They didn’t play a huge role, and I think players are honest. So I think you suck it and see for a couple of seasons, where it takes you, and if there’s no progress I think maybe you have to look elsewhere.”

As for what happens next, much will depend on how Manchester City prioritise their January efforts. The club have already been linked with several wide players across Europe, and any official movement for Semenyo could hinge on outgoings or unexpected opportunities in the winter market.

However, with growing recognition that City lack a like-for-like successor to Mahrez – a theme echoed in several recent discussions – Semenyo’s profile fits many of the attributes Pep Guardiola is believed to want restored.