Antoine Semenyo moving to Manchester City could set in motion a transfer domino effect that reaches as far as Liverpool and Arsenal…
City are said to be closing in on the signing of Semenyo having shown the most determination to trigger the winger’s release clause in his Bournemouth contract.
As ever, one transfer leads to another. And a few more besides.
Here we assess how Semenyo joining City could prompt major moves for five other players. Starting with the first trigger…
Antoine Semenyo to Manchester City
Semenyo will be the first domino to fall in January, with Manchester City seemingly far down a road they rarely, if ever, lose their way.
City want Semenyo signed sharpish, not just because the terms of the winger’s buy-out clause in his Bournemouth contract dictate so, but also to keep the other vultures at bay.
Until Semenyo has a blue scarf above his head while revealing a soft spot for Oasis, Curly Watts and very tall floodlights, there remains the feeling Liverpool might attempt to throw an expensive spanner in the works.
But we just don’t see City losing out here. And not only because it would screw the whole premise on which this feature is built.
Savinho to Tottenham Hotspur
City already have a surplus of players, with Savinho and/or Oscar Bobb set to be the big losers if they snare Semenyo.
Weirdly, the Brazilian has had the same number of Premier League minutes (467) as Bobb but neither winger is really doing the business in Pep’s mind. Savinho has two league assists to Bobb’s one. Neither has scored a Premier League goal to take any burden off Erling Haaland’s shoulders. Good job, then, that he’s just a ridiculous goalscorer.
Still, with domestic and European competition fierce in what could be the manager’s final half-season at City, Guardiola is clearly keen to upgrade on the right flank, with Savinho the most sellable asset. Especially while Tottenham retain a long-standing interest in the 21-year-old.
Spurs, apparently, are keen to gauge Savinho’s level of interest before they proceed any further only to be covered in custard again. The winger will be feeling the chill at City and Spurs could offer a more defined role than the cameos on either flank he has been restricted to by Guardiola.
MORE: Man City signing Semenyo will give Guardiola a quarter of the 20 biggest January signings ever
Brennan Johnson to Crystal Palace
Even before they have signed Savinho, Spurs already seem to be making room by off-loading their Europa League final goalscorer.
Johnson is being fought over by Palace and Bournemouth, with other clubs also said to be keen on the Wales attacker.
Bournemouth seemed to be in a strong position given their obvious need for a Semenyo replacement and the £65million they will have burning a hole in their pocket. Johnson would cost around half that amount, but Palace have reportedly nipped in ahead of the Cherries.
Ornstein says the Eagles have agreed a deal with Spurs worth in the region of £35million, but Johnson is still mulling over his options. So Bournemouth retain hope of landing the 24-year-old, even if Palace are the frontrunners.
Abdul Fatawu to Bournemouth
Be it Johnson or anyone else, someone has to replace Semenyo at Bournemouth.
The Cherries’ have slid at breakneck speed into a relegation battle few foresaw just a few weeks ago when Semenyo was on fire while Andoni Iraola’s lurked in the European spots.
But seven games without a goal or assist from Semenyo saw Bournemouth take just five points from 21, highlighting the importance of finding a ready-made replacement for the Ghanaian, especially if they are to spend the second half of the season looking over their shoulder.
The thing is, Bournemouth don’t buy oven-ready. That’s not their model. Almost certainly, they will cast their net into Europe or, as reports suggest is more likely, dip their toe back into the Championship talent pool.
There, where they discovered Semenyo, they will find Fatawu, who has been catching eyes at Leicester from other Premier League clubs beyond the south coast. Sunderland and Everton have both been credited with an interest in the 21-year-old but Bournemouth’s means and haste makes them heavy favourites for Semenyo’s compatriot.
Rodrygo to Liverpool
Semenyo’s switch to City will leave almost the rest of the Big Six disappointed. For some, sure, it was a good opportunity to sign a top-class player for a relatively good price. But missing out allows them to concentrate on the priorities they should be focused on in January. We’re looking at you, Manchester United, and that gaping hole in your midfield.
For Liverpool, though, there remains room in their squad for a Semenyo-like signing. Mo Salah is away at AFCON and Alexander Isak is out until perhaps the spring.
Neither of those circumstances should prompt the Reds to splurge on another forward to fill a short-term void. But Salah’s absence is likely to be a more permanent arrangement, if not from this window, then most likely the summer.
Other issues in Arne Slot’s squad mean it would not be a bad idea to get a jump on sourcing Salah’s replacement. Perhaps Yan Diomande at RB Leipzig? Liverpool certainly have an in with the teenager’s club, and a half-season head-start on the settling process could be useful.
Diomande, though, remains raw and perhaps more expensive than Rodrygo, a player Liverpool have long admired, along with Manchester City. You would think, however, that Semenyo’s signing ends City’s interest in the Brazilian.
Rodrygo joining Liverpool is undoubtedly the trickiest link in this particular domino chain. The Reds will have you believe they are not planning anything quite so grand in January, and the centre of their defence remains a bigger issue than uncertainty in their attack. This one remains speculative but Liverpool are full of surprises.
Someone to Arsenal
Semenyo is certainly a boon for City midway through a title fight which is looking likely to be a humdinger. Will Arsenal respond?
We think so. And, more to the point, Mikel Arteta seems to think so too: “We’re Arsenal and we have to be looking at it… we have to be actively looking.”
Arsenal are entering January in a position of authority because they bought big in the summer. Liverpool spent more but the Gunners’ net spend was greater than anyone.
Having built the strongest squad in the Premier League, it relieves the pressure around the January window somewhat. But despite their depth, Arteta’s resources are still being stretched. Without some swift and considerable relief on the fitness front, Arsenal will go back into the market.
To sign whom? Honestly, we don’t know. We doubt Arsenal know at this point. Quite likely, they will react to the circumstances they encounter around the middle of the month. Which, in their position, is a sound approach.
And the identity almost doesn’t matter in regards to countering City’s swoop for Semenyo. Arteta and Andrea Berta will be desperate to avoid a scenario in the summer where they have fallen short in a title race once more having sat on their hands when they had the opportunity to bolster their ranks and morale mid-season.