Arsenal are unlikely to enter the race for Antoine Semenyo in January for two key reasons, Gunners expert Charles Watts has told Sports Mole.
The Bournemouth winger is expected to be one of the hottest commodities on the market during the winter transfer window, as it has been reliably reported that his Cherries contract contains a £65m release clause, which would leave Andoni Iraola's side powerless.
Semenyo has slowed down on the field as the transfer speculation heats up, but his nine direct goal involvements in the 2025-26 Premier League is the third-most of any player behind Igor Thiago (11) and Erling Haaland (15).
Arsenal's name has inevitably cropped up in the Semenyo conversation, but given the Gunners' current left-wing options and lack of finances, Watts believes that a January deal for the Ghana international is impractical.
“They can survive without him," Watt said. "You just can't sign everyone. He’s an excellent player, but how are you going to bring in another left-sided player? You've got Trossard, you’ve signed Eze, whose position will end up being over that side anyway once Martin Odegaard comes back, Madueke plays there as well.
Why Arsenal would "struggle" to win Antoine Semenyo transfer race
“How can you sign Semenyo? And Arsenal have got barely any money – they basically got Hincapie on loan just because they couldn't get him into the books for this year. How are you going to spend £65m on a release clause in January? I just don't see it.
“Maybe in the summer if Semenyo stays, if something happens to Martinelli or Trossard, that might open up a slot. But it feels like this is one that Arsenal would struggle to do. I'm not even sure they'd be massively keen to do it, because they've just got so many players who can play in that position now.
“It just feels unlikely to me. But at some point during the summer I was saying it felt unlikely they'd go and sign Eze. It looked like that wasn't going to happen, and then, bang, it does. So what do I know?”
Manchester City, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United are seen as more likely winter destinations for Semenyo, who was born in London and came through the Bristol City academy network.
The winger unsuccessfully trialled for Arsenal as a child, but he could potentially follow the same path as Eberechi Eze, who was let go by the Gunners' youth system before returning in a big-money move this summer.
Could Antoine Semenyo repeat Eberechi Eze's Arsenal journey?
© Imago / Sportimage
Arsenal memorably stole Eze from under the noses of their bitter rivals Tottenham, giving rise to another possible hijack in January, but Watts believes that the "romantic" tale will not come true.
"He's a big Arsenal fan, so I'm sure he probably would want it," he added. "I just don't think that story can happen over and over again. He’s too good a player for clubs not to come in for him. In January, if that clause is there, I look at Liverpool.
“Tottenham wanted to get him in the summer, that didn't happen. What could go wrong there? Tottenham trying to sign an Arsenal fan. So I don’t know – it’s a nice story, similar to Eze, very romantic. But I just feel like the timing’s not right for this one and he’ll probably end up going elsewhere.”
Arsenal have now lost Leandro Trossard to a muscular injury, but with Eze, Gabriel Martinelli, Noni Madueke and Gabriel Jesus all options on the left-hand side, Semenyo may be better served seeking out a move elsewhere if he is after guaranteed game time.
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