Despite Manchester United splashing over £200million on summer acquisitions, Bournemouth sensation Antoine Semenyo proved to be the player that slipped through their fingers. United boss Ruben Amorim reportedly held talks with the Ghana international, yet Semenyo ultimately penned fresh terms at the Vitality Stadium.
"I've grown so much at the club, both on and off the pitch, and I'm really happy to have signed ahead of returning for pre-season," Semenyo told club media after signing an extension until 2030. "From the fans to the staff and my teammates, I can't speak highly enough of the people around the club."
Both Newcastle and Tottenham were reportedly tracking the 25-year-old, though their pursuit waned once he committed his future elsewhere. However, according to The Transfers Podcast, United had maintained interest since spring and made a determined push for his signature.
Ruben Amorim allegedly arranged a dinner meeting with Semenyo in London at the conclusion of last season to assess the player's mentality.
Chief executive Omar Berrada and recruitment director Jason Wilcox also engaged in discussions with Bournemouth regarding the former Bristol City talent, but their efforts proved fruitless. United were reportedly prepared to invest £55million in Semenyo, recognising his established Premier League credentials.
Nevertheless, the player himself is believed to have pledged his allegiance to Bournemouth after discovering United intended to offer him lower wages than those proposed to alternative targets. It is also claimed Liverpool had their sights set on Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, who both ended up signing for United for a hefty sum of over £60m.
Cameroon international Mbeumo has already made his mark at his new club, netting a goal in a 3-2 league triumph against Burnley, although Cunha was injured during the same match.
Semenyo continues to impress at Bournemouth after netting a career-best 11 league goals last season and 13 across all competitions. He bagged both goals for the Cherries in their opening weekend clash with Liverpool, and also assisted Marcus Tavernier's winning goal in a victory over Wolves.
He found the back of the net in both home and away matches against United last season as Bournemouth clinched a win at Old Trafford and conceded a last-minute equaliser in the return fixture. The two teams won't face each other until December this season.
Bournemouth's success in retaining Semenyo was crucial given a series of high-profile departures over the summer. Three members of last season's defensive line completed lucrative moves, with Milos Kerkez heading to Liverpool, Illia Zabarnyi transferring to Paris Saint-Germain and Dean Huijsen realising a dream move to Real Madrid.
The Cherries also pocketed around £42m from the sale of Dango Ouattara to Brentford, with Philip Billing and Mark Travers among the peripheral players to depart. Andoni Iraola's squad also splashed out over the summer, making defender Bafode Diakite the second most expensive acquisition in their history and also bringing in Djordje Petrovic and Ben Gannon Doak from other Premier League clubs.