Sunderland transfer special and Fulham preview with Nick Barnes
Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo has really kicked on since his brief loan stint with Sunderland half a decade ago.
The 25-year-old spent a brief and relatively underwhelming stint on Wearside in 2020, registering no goals and no assists across seven outings for the Black Cats. Since then, however, he has kicked on immensely, and is currently enjoying an auspicious run of form on the south coast.
And that high-profile trio may well be encouraged further by suggestions that Semenyo has a release clause of around £65 million written into his current contract with Bournemouth - and that he could be available for transfer this January, as per David Ornstein of The Athletic.
What has Charlie Austin said about former Sunderland loanee Antoine Semenyo amid ongoing transfer speculation?
But while £65 million would represent a significant outlay, especially in a winter window, Austin has argued that it could ultimately prove to be a price worth paying. Speaking on Sky Sports News, when asked if Semenyo’s release clause was a good deal for any buying club, he said: “It sounds mad saying it, but going on the market and how everything is, absolutely it is - it is cheap.
“You can go back to the goal that he scored that opening Premier League night against Liverpool and the performance he put in. He gave [Milos] Kerkez a real big problem, scored the goal - it was a fantastic, fantastic performance by him that night, and then he’s continued that on all the way through the start of the season. Look, I think £65 million is a snip to get him. And the biggest thing is, he's only young, he's progressing. The way he's performing week in, week out for them, he has made himself Bournemouth's talisman.”
Austin was also quizzed on which of Semenyo’s reported suitors need to invest in him most, responding: “Okay, let's go with the team that, in my opinion, don't need him and are crying out for a centre-forward, Spurs. We’re going to put a line through them. I don't think Spurs... it's not that they don't need him, every club needs an Antoine Semenyo. But what I'm saying is Spurs should put their money down to buy a number nine. They don't have an out-and-out number nine. I've seen them play and listen, they don't have a goal scorer. So put a line through them.
“Man City and Liverpool, they’re top teams and the ones that have got the money to go and get him. But I just think Antoine Semenyo is the perfect in-time replacement for Mohamed Salah. So why not learn from him for six months? And if next summer Liverpool do decide to sell Mohamed Salah and it's time to move on - I'm not saying they will - but he's had six months learning from that. But also he's going to play as well.
The Echo has launched a new WhatsApp SAFC Channel to bring the latest news, analysis and team & injury updates direct to your phone. Simply click this link to join ourSAFC WhatsApp channel.
“The argument to it is, and the way you look at it is, Bournemouth's level of expectation to Liverpool and Man City's expectation is completely different. So can he adapt to playing for them? For the cameras that are on you all the time, Champions League performances? But what we've seen so far at the start of the season, absolutely.”
“He’s versatile, which sounds silly, to even say that now - especially the way the football's gone, they like to play opposite wingers almost. But for me, he's one of them players that can play in any position and will play in any position and perform to the best of his ability. Like I said, the opening day was the biggest one for me. At Anfield, the performance he put in was eye-opening. And look, he's carried on, he's continued his form.”
Continue Reading