Man City move ahead of Liverpool in Antoine Semenyo battle | OneFootball

Manchester City have opened talks with Bournemouth about Antoine Semenyo in a bid to sign the winger when the transfer window opens.

Semenyo has a £65m release clause in his contract with the Cherries but there are still issues to discuss as Pep Guardiola tries to make him his first buy of 2026.

Liverpool are also interested in the Ghana international and face a decision whether to trigger the release clause themselves and match City’s interest.

Manchester United and Chelsea also like Semenyo, though the Club World Cup winners decided against following up their initial enquiry about the 25-year-old.

Semenyo would like to decide upon his next club before 1 January, while his release clause is thought to expire on 10 January.

If City sign Semenyo, who is the third highest scorer in the Premier League this season, it would take Guardiola’s spending to £400m in under a year, following a £180m outlay last January and further buys in the summer.

Guardiola is currently without two wingers, with Jeremy Doku injured and Omar Marmoush at the African Cup of Nations, and while Claudio Echeverri is returning from an unsuccessful loan with Bayer Leverkusen, the Argentinian is set to be loaned out again.

Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo celebrates against Man United (PA Wire)

However, they could face competition from Liverpool, whose sporting director, Richard Hughes, bought Semenyo for Bournemouth from Bristol City for £10m in 2023.

Liverpool spent £450m in the summer but face a decision whether to buy again. They have uncertainty over the future of Mohamed Salah, who was dropped from the team by manager Arne Slot and claimed he was “thrown under the bus” in an explosive interview, though who featured as a substitute against Brighton before going to the African Cup of Nations.

Semenyo is not there after Ghana failed to qualify and has nine goals in the Premier League so far.