Manchester City have announced the signing of Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth on a five-and-a-half-year contract.
The 26-year-old attacker moves to the Etihad Stadium for a reported £62.5m plus £1.5m in add-ons, slightly less than the previously reported £65m release clause.
Semenyo leaves Bournemouth after a memorable three-and-a-half years at the Vitality stadium where he elevated is game to new height and contributed to 45 goals (32 goals, 13 assists) in 110 appearances in all competitions.
The Ghana international signed off as a Bournemouth player with a dramatic 95th-minute winning goal in a 3-2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday night – his 10th Premier League goal of the season.
Semenyo, who could make his debut against Exeter in the FA Cup on Saturday, believes that his “best football is yet to come” and he is “proud” to have joined a Man City side where he can continue his development under “one of the greatest managers ever” in Pep Guardiola.
Semenyo is believed to have been identified by Man City as an upgrade on Oscar Bobb, who has struggled to reach the heights expected since recovering from a long-term injury and breaking into the first team.
Not only does Semenyo provide a clinical touch in front of goal, he also offers versatility in the final third, as he is comfortable operating on both flanks and even as a central striker.
The former Bristol City man, who has also experienced loan spells at Bath City, Newport County and Sunderland, has worked his way up the English football pyramid and is now ready to make the next step in his career with a Man City side challenging for domestic and continental silverware.
Semenyo will relish playing alongside Haaland at Man City
Guardiola’s side are blessed with a plethora of world-class players, but there is one name in particular who Semenyo will relish playing alongside at the Etihad for years to come.
Discussing which Premier League players he looks up to with Joseph Sam on the Earn Your Stripes show in June 2024, Semenyo said: "Obviously, Haaland is number one.
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Man City signing Semenyo admires Haaland’s “aura” in the Premier League
"You see it on TV that he's scoring all these goals and think surely he's not like this in person... that man is tall. My goodness! Tall, strong, fast, can finish. He's got everything you need as a striker.
“I remember Man City are bopping and they bop it anyway and then Ruben Dias just wraps the ball to him, it's so high and I thought how is he going to deal with this and then he just took it on his chest. I'm thinking ' Hmm - Haaland the man'.
"The aura he has, when he's on the pitch if you don't mark him he's going to score. Everyone is trying to mark him and even when you mark him he still scores. I remember watching him and thinking this is the kind of striker I want to be. I want to have this presence where I can be marked by everyone.”
Haaland has been nothing short of sensational at Man City since joining in 2022 and he scored his 150th goal for the club in all competitions in Wednesday’s 1-1 draw with Brighton in the Premier League.
The prolific Norwegian has broken a plethora of goalscoring records in England and has played an integral role in helping City win six trophies during his time at the Etihad, including the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League as part of a historic treble in 2022-23.