Manchester City are to sign Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth this week and he could have an immediate impact
Bournemouth's Ghanaian striker #24 Antoine Semenyo (L) vies with Brentford's Dutch defender #04 Sepp Van den Berg (C) during the English League cup second round football match between Bournemouth and Brentford at the Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth, southern England on August 26, 2025. (Photo by Adrian Dennis / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Bournemouth's Ghanaian striker #24 Antoine Semenyo (L) vies with Brentford's Dutch defender #04 Sepp Van den Berg (C) during the English League cup second round football match between Bournemouth and Brentford at the Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth, southern England on August 26, 2025. (Photo by Adrian Dennis / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)
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Manchester City are aiming to complete the signing of Antoine Semenyo this week - and will be immediately boosted by a rule change brought in this season. Semenyo could finalise his £65m move to the Etihad in the next few days after playing his final game for Bournemouth on Wednesday night, although there were reports of late Liverpool interest on Wednesday night.
If he does sign for City and is registered in time, Semenyo could be available for the FA Cup third round game at home with Exeter on Saturday afternoon. However, he would also be able to turn out for City in their Carabao Cup semi-final with Newcastle.
Bournemouth were knocked out of the Carabao Cup this season at the first time of asking, playing a rotated team and losing 2-0 at home to fellow Premier League side Brentford. Semenyo came on for the second half but was unable to stop his side from falling to defeat.
That would have ruled him out of featuring for City in any other season, but there has been a change in the Carabao Cup introduced this year that eases the cup-tie stipulation. Rule 6.4 has been amended to now read that players can represent two clubs in the same season if they move during the course of the campaign.
City could also move for a defender in the January transfer window after significant injuries to first-choice defenders Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol. Dias will miss at least a month while Gvardiol is in a fight to play again this season after breaking his leg.
With John Stones also injured to leave just two fit centre-backs in Nathan Ake and Abdukodir Khusanov, Pep Guardiola said on Tuesday that the club would 'get creative' as they try to find a solution. They have already recalled centre-back Max Alleyne from a loan at Watford, but will not be bringing Manu Akanji or Vitor Reis back from their loans.