Chelsea are reportedly refusing to rule out a January move for Bournemouth attacker Antoine Semenyo, despite facing strong competition from Premier League rivals Manchester City and Liverpool. Reports say the Blues are aware of the Ghana international’s £65 million release clause and may try to activate it when the winter window opens.
The 25-year-old has been playing very well for the Cherries this season, scoring six goals in the Premier League so far and becoming an essential part of Andoni Iraola’s team. Chelsea already have a lot of depth in vast areas, but the club’s leaders are always on the lookout for good deals.
Journalist Mark Ogden revealed that Chelsea might not be in the lead, but they are definitely in the running. He said:
“Now, they are pretty overloaded with forwards, but I wouldn’t rule out Chelsea moving for a forward. I mean, I wouldn’t rule them out of the Antoine Semenyo situation. He’s got a £65 million release clause at Bournemouth.”
Ogden also said that there is a lot of competition for the winger’s signature, especially from the league’s best teams:
“I don’t think Chelsea are the frontrunners, I think you’re looking at Man City and Liverpool, but Chelsea know a deal can be done and they could get it done.”
This possible transfer comes at a time when Chelsea already have a lot of attacking options, which makes it hard to see how Semenyo would fit into the team’s rotation. But the club have shown that they are willing to stockpile top players to stay ahead of their competitors in England.
Chelsea already have great attacking depth
The rumors about Semenyo are surprising given Chelsea’s recent recruitment drive in the final third, which has been so successful. The Blues have already seen results from their summer business. The team is now full of forwards with a lot of potential who are performing well on the field.
Since joining, Estevao Willian has been the best player. He quickly adapted to English football and looks set to be a key player for the team for years to come. Joao Pedro, who was named to the Premier League Team of the Month for November after some great performances, was signed this summer. Same with Alejandro Garnacho, who is silencing critics with strong performances at Stamford Bridge.
The club also signed Liam Delap and Jamie Gittens to strengthen the attack, further crowding the forward positions. Meanwhile, they have already signed highly-rated Sporting CP player Geovany Quenda, beating Manchester United to the deal.