Manchester United have reportedly given up on their pursuit of Antoine Semenyo after refusing to meet Bournemouth's eye-watering asking price for the in-demand winger
Antoine Semenyo celebrates after scoring for AFC Bournemouth
Manchester United are refusing to splash out on Antoine Semenyo(Image: Offside via Getty Images)
Manchester United and Tottenham have both decided to back out of pursuing Antoine Semenyo after Bournemouth set a £70million price tag on the winger.
The decision speaks volumes about the Red Devils’ approach to the summer transfer window. Due to financial constraints, they are reluctant to overpay for their targets.
Having already completed the £62.5m signing of Matheus Cunha to kickstart their summer plans, United are now searching for a more multi-functional forward. Although Semenyo certainly fits the bill, a deal appears to have fallen through.
The Ghanaian winger caught United's eye with his impressive tally of 13 goals and seven assists this campaign, leading to various reports of a potential switch to Old Trafford. TalkSPORT claimed the player had even held talks with the club over a potential Old Trafford move.
Yet, those eye-catching performances have led Bournemouth to set the 25-year-old’s transfer value at a whopping £70m. Their pricing strategy reflects a broader pattern seen already this summer, where Premier League sides are demanding higher fees for their players as the big clubs increasingly seek signings with experience in England’s top flight.
According to the i Paper, Tottenham were even more interested in Semenyo than United, having stayed in contact with the Cherries after making an initial enquiry last week.
But there's a growing feeling that he will remain with the Cherries, given that United, Spurs, and Newcastle United have all refused to pay the lofty sum demanded by Bournemouth after the player signed a five-year contract with them only last year.
United's hesitation to spend heavily is a clear sign of their strategy in the transfer window, given their financial limitations and a commitment to avoid the kind of wasteful spending seen in previous years.
Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo, for example, has long been identified as Ruben Amorim's primary target over Semenyo. But United are only interested if the price is right, having seen Semenyo as a back-up option before being priced out.
Despite the Cameroonian's eagerness to join United, the club are yet to reach an agreement with Brentford, who rejected a second bid of £55m plus £7.5m in bonuses for the 25-year-old.
Brentford are holding out for a fee similar to what United paid Wolves for Cunha upfront, though it remains to be seen whether the Red Devils will meet their demands.
Bryan Mbeumo of Brentford celebrates scoring his team's first goal from the penalty spot after a penalty retake during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace FC and Brentford FC at Selhurst Park on January 26, 2025 in London, England.
Bryan Mbeumo is United's main transfer target
After failing to qualify for European football next season, Amorim's transfer budget this summer is not as substantial as it could have been had he won the Europa League final in May.
However, United's financial results for the first quarter of 2025 paint a more positive picture, despite Sir Jim Ratcliffe suggesting earlier this year that the club was on track to run out of money by Christmas.
It's understood that United will therefore aim to secure Mbeumo's signature alongside Cunha's within their current budget.
However, they will need to offload players such as Tyrell Malacia, Alejandro Garnacho, Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Antony before making any additional signings beyond Mbeumo. If United receive the expected fees for their outgoing players, estimates suggest they could net roughly £170m.
Amorim may not opt to sign a third forward, with the remaining funds more likely to be invested in other areas of the pitch. That, in turn, means missing out on Semenyo if Mbeumo is signed.