Bournemouth slap £50-60m price tag on Antoine Semenyo as United eye the winger
The last few weeks have been fraught with speculation about Manchester United’s planned moves in the upcoming transfer window. With a new sporting management in place and the clear intention to rebuild from the attack, reports have pointed to several names.
However, one is beginning to sound louder than the rest: Antoine Semenyo. The Bournemouth striker has caught the eye not only at Old Trafford, but also in London and the North East of England. His performances in the Premier League have caught the eye in the transfer market, and everything points to a summer where his name will be at the centre of many conversations.
Bournemouth has set an asking price of £50-60 million for Manchester United target Antoine Semenyo
According to information from Football Insider, Bournemouth are willing to listen to offers for Semenyo, but will not accept less than £50-60 million. The club’s intention is clear: to generate competition to inflate his value.
It would not be surprising if Newcastle and Arsenal push the price even higher. With 11 goals and seven assists in 40 appearances this season, his influence has been evident in Andoni Iraola’s scheme.
Moreover, the team has continental aspirations, and Semenyo has been a central part of that ambition. His contract until 2029 gives the Cherries bargaining power as they look to repeat what they look set to achieve with Dean Huijsen. Bournemouth only paid just over €10 million for Semenyo when he arrived from Bristol City. The profit margin is huge, and that justifies the club’s steadfastness in setting its price.
Bournemouth slap £50-60m price tag on Antoine Semenyo as Manchester United eye the star winger. Should the Red Devils pay?
Bournemouth slap £50-60m price tag on Antoine Semenyo as Manchester United eye the star winger. Should the Red Devils pay?
From the point of view of a club like United, which needs immediate solutions but also plans for the long term, paying over €50 million for Semenyo may seem like a risky gamble. But if you look at the numbers and the type of player he is, you can understand the reasons for the interest.
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He has pace, line-breaking ability and contributes outside the box, just what would suit an attack that Amorim. From what we have seen of his tactics this season, it is something more vertical and aggressive. In a formation like the 3-4-2-1 he is using at United, Semenyo would have freedom in the right attacking midfield, using his physicality and change of pace to attack the space.
That said, United cannot make the mistake of paying any figure just because of market pressure. They should negotiate clearly, avoid another inflated bid and ensure that Semenyo is not an emergency signing, but part of coherent planning. Bournemouth, for their part, are playing their cards right.
They know what they have and what they can get out of it. If Amorim really makes a move for him, Semenyo could flourish under his attacking thinking. But for that to happen, United will have to act with intelligence, not desperation. The Premier League has already seen what this striker can do. The question is whether anyone will dare pay his club’s asking price.