Antoine Semenyo is expected to leave Bournemouth in Januaryplaceholder image
Antoine Semenyo is expected to leave Bournemouth in January | Getty Images
Bristol City could be line for a huge financial boost from a star that they sold back in January 2023
Premier League title contenders Manchester City are believed to be in advanced discussions to sign former Bristol City winger Antoine Semenyo in January.
According to numerous sources, including Fabrizio Romano, Pep Guardiola’s side have made positive progress in recent days and are now in pole position to secure the signature of the highly-rated 25-year-old Bournemouth winger.
This comes as a significant update to Bristol City nearly three years after selling the Ghanian international, with the club reportedly holding a 20% sell-on clause after allowing the exciting winger to leave Ashton Gate to complete a move to the Premier League nearly three years ago.
Semenyo looks destined to leave the Vitality Stadium just months after signing a contract extension after it emerged that his new deal included an automatic £65m release clause. But how long is this clause active for and what is the latest date that Bristol City could receive their lucrative windfall?
How much will Bristol City get for Semenyo sell-on fee and when will it happen?
If all goes to plan and Semenyo completes his £65m move to Manchester City or one of the other big Premier League sides vying for his signature such as Manchester United or Liverpool, Bristol City will pocket around £11m in January. This would act as a significant boost to the team’s promotion chances as the Cider Army strive to reach the top-flight for the first time since 1980.
It’s widely reported that Semenyo’s £65m release clause runs for the first 10 days of the January - and was necessary to keep him at Bournemouth when he agreed a new contract in July. The price, though, will drop slightly in the summer window if he doesn’t leave although the exact figure his release clause will go down to has not been disclosed.
"I know there is lots of noise around him," said Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola via BBC Sport. "[It is] not my concern, my concern is it doesn't affect his performances. It is not doing, he is very committed to the team and I hope we can keep him here.
"[A] situation we cannot control, but Antoine right now is our player, going to continue playing for us. If you ask me, I don't want to lose him, definitely don't. But every time the market opens, you never know what is going to happen."
Semenyo a great example of Bristol City’s ability to discover talent
It’s hard to believe now because he’s one of the most coveted young footballers in English football, but there was once a time where clubs like Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Crystal Palace and even Millwall turned down Semenyo as a youngster.
At the age of 15, Semenyo even considered giving up his dream of becoming a professional footballer before Dave Hockaday, who once briefly managed Leeds United, convinced join his youth academy program at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College, with Bristol City eventually taking a punt on the young footballer.
Semenyo’s journey into the Bristol City team took time. He enjoyed a steady loan spells with Bath City in 2018 and Newport County the following season before failing to make the desire impact at Sunderland who at the time were languishing in the third-tier of English football. However, over time he became an important part of the team at Ashton Gate under Dean Holden and continued to play frequently under Nigel Pearson.
The winger left South West England with a record of 21 goals and as many assists in 125 appearances, including 14 goals in his final 18 months at Bristol City. He was sold for £10m - making him the sixth biggest sale in the club’s history. Although if they receive an £11m windfall it’d mean they’ll have made a combined total of £21m in profit from a footballer they brought in for free.
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