Manchester United are not among the three Premier League clubs expected to compete for Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo in January, manager David Ornstein has said.
News emerged this week that Semenyo had a £65m release clause in his summer deal.
Liverpool have been the most linked with the Ghana international, but Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United are also reportedly interested.
Antoine Semenyo vs PL’s leading winger 2025/26
More goals than Brian Mbeumo (5), Mohamed Salah (4), Bukayo Saka (3), Jeremy Doku (1) and Jack Grealish (1) (6) 3 Grealish alone with assists (4) 21 Take-on wins with Doku alone (34) Fewest fouls (7), most fouls committed (24) Most wins in aerial duels (26) (20) (Saka, Salah)
Ornstein had a lot to say about Semenyo’s situation on the Athletic FC Podcast, including which clubs are interested and how Newcastle and Manchester United are assessing his availability.
Coach Ornstein said, “It applies immediately, so it will be applied during the January transfer period.”
“Some said it would only be next summer, but no, it will be live for a period in January. Given these things, I imagine it will be around the first 10 days, but it will take Bournemouth a couple of weeks to find a replacement.”
“Bournemouth accepted that if they didn’t agree to this, he wouldn’t have signed a new contract.
“My understanding is that it’s available to all clubs, not just specific suitors. As you know, the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham have been heavily linked in recent days and weeks.
“The clause is that if it reopens in the summer, the rates will be lower.”
Deputy news editor Dan Kilpatrick added that Tottenham Hotspur should compete for Semenyo’s signature.
“I think there was some interest from Spurs over the summer,” he added.
“There’s no secret that Spurs still need reinforcements (in attack). They don’t have a natural option on the left or a clear favorite on the left under manager Thomas Frank. They’ll be a club that will keep an eye on the situation, I’m sure.”
When Manchester United inquired about Semenyo’s potential, Ornstein added that the release fee would be lower than what they would have offered in the summer transfer window.
“This is clearly one of the best market opportunities,” he said. “£65 million is less than what Bournemouth wanted for him last summer.
“When Manchester United and Spurs came to talk, the figure was £70m. When we spoke to them, the speculation was that it was actually £60m, plus £5m in add-ons.”
Liverpool have ‘strong interest’ in signing Semenyo in January
However, Liverpool have shown serious interest in signing the 25-year-old in January.
“Liverpool seem to have a firm interest. They didn’t replace Luis Diaz last summer. They obviously gave and will continue to give Rio Ngmoja a chance and don’t want to block his path.”
“But of course, for players at such a young age to get on such a big stage, they need time, they need space and they need respect, and perhaps signing Semenyo’s level will do the trick in that regard.
“Mohamed Salah is reaching the age where he is thinking not only about supplementary players but also about succession planning, so that’s something to watch.
“Richard Hughes, Liverpool’s sporting director, signed Antoine Semenyo to Bournemouth from Bristol City, so there’s a clear link there.”
Ornstein reports that Manchester City and Spurs are interested in signing Semenyo.
“Manchester City are thought to be interested. Tottenham were linked with a move for Sabinho in the summer and made an offer. Man City kept hold of him. They were looking at Rodrigo as a potential replacement, so that’s definitely an area they’ll be looking at.”
“In fact, we revealed in the summer that they (Tottenham) had made an inquiry for Semenyo, but I think there is a signal from around Spurs that they are ready to do something in January to further strengthen the squad.
“They have a Champions League campaign under them, they have the same ambitions as the new owners under the old owners, and they want to take on the challenge. Their stated aim is to win trophies more regularly, like they did in the Europa League last summer. And so far, from the many conversations I’ve had so far, these three teams seem to be somewhat purely in the box.”
Manchester United, Arsenal and Newcastle will not be involved in Semenyo race
Meanwhile, Manchester United are unlikely to sign Semenyo after spending over £60 million on Brian Mbeumo in the summer.
“Manchester United were there in the summer too, and they obviously signed Brian Mbeumo. So is this the position they’re looking for? Is this still the player they want? I don’t know about that now. Of course, finances will also play a big role for United.”
“People said Arsenal because I think there’s an implication that he’s been an Arsenal fan since he was a kid. But obviously, as things stand, there’s a huge amount of talent in attacking positions.”
Asked if Newcastle could make a move, Ornstein ruled out the possibility.
“According to the owners and their manager Eddie Howe, Newcastle are very ambitious and have Champions League football. They want to follow up on their success in the last League Cup and win more trophies.
“They have Anthony Elanga on the right wing, strengthening the wide areas. That was their priority. Of course they still have Anthony Gordon on the left.”
“The name Semenyo had never been heard in their field before and Newcastle had to be very careful financially. They were pushed to the brink and that led to the sale of Yankuba Minte and Elliott Anderson…I don’t know what Newcastle’s finances are like now.
“But furthermore, I am not listening to them because at the moment it is in Semenyo. I don’t know what will happen from an objective point of view with the possibility of Eddie Howe signing another player from Bournemouth. Personally, I don’t care, because Antoine Semenyo is very good.”
“Yes, I wouldn’t be surprised if other players come in, but certainly as you know, the industry has said so far that if there is a move, it looks like it’s going to be in the direction of Liverpool, Man City or Tottenham and that could change.”
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