Manchester City are in the Premier League title race. They are just two points behind Arsenal, and whilst the side at the top of the table at Christmas does win the Premier League more often than not, this City team will not lie down and will be completely ruthless.
To do that, they may well look to sign one or two players in January. Antoine Semenyo is a player strongly linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium, with the club deciding whether or not they should activate his £65m release clause, which expires on the 10th of January.
Antoine Semenyo
But why exactly are City looking at signing Semenyo?
How Semenyo can help City
Few players have been as good as Bournemouth winger Semenyo in the Premier League this season. The Ghanaian has been on fire for Andoni Iraola’s side and has been a real driving force for the Cherries going forward.
He’s bagged eight goals already this season, which includes scoring twice at Anfield on the opening day of the Premier League season and a goal at Old Trafford. Semenyo also has three assists to his name, highlighting his final third threat.
Premier League top scorers
One of the real positives about the Bournemouth number 24 is that he is so versatile. Should Guardiola choose, he would be able to play him on either flank, with the winger predominantly right-footed, but also more than capable on his left, too.
On top of that, he’d be a weapon in different game states. City are mostly going to have to break down low blocks, with most sides choosing to sit deep against them. Whilst Semenyo can be a threat against teams who sit deep, he is also a “powerful carrier on transition” according to scout Ben Mattinson, adding another string to his bow.
Of course, City are not the only team interested in signing the 25-year-old. If they do miss out on him, there is perhaps an ideal option waiting in the wings.
Man City's dream Semenyo alternative
If City do fail to sign the Bournemouth star this winter, then next summer could see them make a sensational move for Real Madrid attacker Vinicius Junior.
According to TEAMtalk, the Citizens ‘have been keeping very close tabs’ on the Brazilian, who is reportedly keen on a move to the Premier League. This would not be a cheap deal, with one report suggesting he’s worth a whopping £131m. That would make him the most expensive player in Premier League history.
Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior reacts
It goes without saying that Vinicus would be an astronomically good signing for City. Described as a “world-class” footballer by Owen Hargreaves, he has 11 goals and assists in 18 La Liga games this season.
The former Flamengo player has been in even better form across his career, too. In the 2022/23 campaign, for example, he grabbed 35 goal involvements in just 39 games. One of those came in the Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund as Real Madrid lifted the trophy at Wembley.
As well as Semenyo has played this season, Vinicius’ underlying numbers are unsurprisingly far better. For example, the Brazilian is averaging 2.93 completed dribbles and 0.75 goal-creating actions per 90 minutes, compared to the Ghanaian’s 1.56 successful take-ons and 0.44 goal-creating actions each game.
Vinicus vs Semenyo key stats 25/26
Stat (per 90)
Key passes
Progressive passes
Goal-creating actions
Dribbles completed
Progressive carries
Stats from FBref
The Brazilian winger himself has highlighted some of his real strengths, which would certainly add a lot to the City team. He said that sometimes, “opponents don't know how to defend against me” because of his ability to drift into central areas from out wide.
Vinicius is a real weapon against low blocks as a result of this, because he is able to quickly shuffle the block and find openings to exploit. He would certainly be a huge asset to City in that sense.
Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior reacts
£131m is a huge fee, but Vinicus is one of the most reputable players in the world. If they miss out on Semenyo, City could do a lot worse than the Los Blancos star.
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This Man City target is already a prolific goalscorer