Manchester United agreed personal terms with Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo during the summer transfer window and were willing to offer the Cherries £55 million, according to Sunday Times journalist Duncan Castles.
The Red Devils head coach Ruben Amorim also met with the 25-year-old Ghana international for a meal.
However, Semenyo decided against a move after discovering he was going to be earning considerably less than Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo at Man United.
Bournemouth have since handed him a contract extension, and he has started the new Premier League campaign in fine form.
“During those conversations, United, I’m told, said they would pay no more than £55m for the player,” Castles said on the latest episode of The Transfers Podcast.
“They even had Amorim take him for a meal in London at the end of the season, so that Amorim could judge his character. Again, similar as to Cunha and Mbeumo.
“And then, I’m told, Semenyo discovered that the salary he had agreed with Man Utd was going to be less than 70 per cent of what they were prepared to pay Cunha and Mbeumo, and Bournemouth strategically used that to convince the player to sign a new contract until 2030, with the idea that he will spend at least one more season at Bournemouth before moving on to another club.”
The Cherries star has two goals and one assist in three Premier League appearances in 2025-26 after ending last season with 11 goals and six assists in 37 league games.
Cunha and Mbeumo are starting to find their feet at Man United, and Amorim would be pleased with how he bolstered his attacking ranks.