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AS ANTOINE SEMENYO LEAVES BOURNEMOUTH TO JOIN MANCHESTER CITY, WILL HE STILL START WITH THE CHERRIES TONIGHT?

Bournemouth fans will be gutted to be losing one of their best players to the Premier League elite.

Antoine Semenyo has a medical booked in at Manchester City, ahead of a £65m move, and the deal is expected to be done by this weekend.

The Ghana international, 26, joined the Cherries from Bristol City in January 2023 and signed a new contract last summer - which included the £65m release clause that activated on January 1.

Antoine Semenyo will be joining Manchester City, subject to a medical. | Getty Images

His prolific efforts on the south coast had garnered attention from all the top teams, including Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham, but it was Manchester City that Semenyo had his heart set on.

When some players move during a transfer window, the fans are robbed of a proper goodbye. But for Semenyo, that won’t be the case.

His medical is apparently booked in after tonight’s (January 7) game against Tottenham, meaning the winger will have one final game in the red and black kit.

Speaking at a press conference before the deal was confirmed, Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola said: “It could be the last game - it is my personal opinion as I understand the market and the noise but there is nothing agreed right now.

“He, right now, is our player and I hope it continues.”

So far this season, Semenyo has scored nine goals and assisted three for his teammates.

- David George

ANTOINE SEMENYO HAS TOLD MAN UNITED EXACTLY WHAT THEY NEEDED AMID £65M CLAUSE

AFC Bournemouth's top goal-scorer Antoine Semenyo is a man in demand ahead of the January transfer window and Manchester United have been linked to him.

Antoine Semenyo will be a wanted man during the January transfer window.(Image: Visionhaus/Getty Images)

Just for once, Manchester United couldn't be criticised too much for how the summer transfer window played out. Considering the lack of Champions League football this season, it always seemed like it would be difficult to attract players to the club and, yet, they managed to address the major concerns.

Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko were brought in to bolster an attack which stuttered badly last season. Senne Lammens was signed to improve the goalkeeping ranks and he has managed to do that well. The only area of the pitch seemingly neglected was midfield, but it was agreed that was further down the priority list at that juncture.

It's only as the season has progressed though that United's attack has shown signs of needing further investment. Many assumed Joshua Zirkzee would have more involvement than he has considering Rasmus Hojlund left, but he does not seem to be trusted by Ruben Amorim.

It has left United with a lack of options in the centre-forward role. Sesko is the only out-and-out No.9 in the first-team squad, but he is still adapting to the Premier League. Chido Obi is an option but, at 17, his short-term career plan is best served in the academy set-up.

When Amorim wants to bring in a replacement for Sesko, the Reds currently have to adopt a striker-less system - which has worked against the likes of Liverpool - but isn't necessarily ideal for matches where a focal point up top is needed. That is why the availability of Antoine Semenyo should be appealing to the recruitment department.

Semenyo fits the same mould as Mbeumo and Cunha. He's a player who has proven he can do it in the Premier League and has a goal-scoring record to match that.

In a recent interview with Jason Wilcox, the United sporting director explained how the club made a decision to sign players in attack who they could 'plug in and play' in the Premier League. This does not mean signing players who solely fit the system, but also ones who know the division and can settle immediately.

Were they to sign Semenyo, then he would be another player who could do just that. Another similarity between Mbeumo and the Bournemouth attacker is the concerns surrounding whether he can feature as a No.10, or centre-forward, considering he plays as a right winger for his club.

However, speaking back in January, the Ghana international told the Reds exactly what they wanted to hear. "I feel like I'm comfortable playing in any role across the forward positions," he said.

"This comes with the ability to use both feet, I think. I'm comfortable playing whether on the left, right or in the middle.

"However, in my head the end goal is to be a No.9. Maybe in the years to come when I've built the experience I'll eventually transition into that, but I'm not too hung up on that."

If United are to spend a vast amount of money on a player, they need to know he can feature in a role suitable for Amorim's system. With those comments, Semenyo has offered reassurances that he can.

It will be a huge surprise if Semenyo is still at Bournemouth by the end of the January transfer window. If he stays injury free, and continues the sort of form he has been showing so far, there will be Premier League clubs queuing up for him.

Semenyo is understood to have a £65million release clause which will be active in the early stages of the January window. It's said it will expire shortly after the window opens to allow Bournemouth time to sign a replacement if necessary.

As such, we can expect any potential suitors to swarm on him as soon as the window begins and United need to be ready for that. If Semenyo now proves to be a serious target for the Reds in the transfer market, Zirkzee will undoubtedly need to leave and we understand a request from the Dutchman is likely to be lodged in January if his game time doesn't increase.

Should that happen, it's a no brainer for United. They must look to rake in as much as they can for Zirkzee and then use that money to attempt to sign Semenyo.

He has told the Reds exactly what they needed to hear so now is the time to start planning their approach.

- Jack Flintham

ANTOINE SEMENYO TO REPLACE MOHAMED SALAH

With Mohamed Salah due to play for Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations in December and January, Liverpool are increasingly keen on a move for Antoine Semenyo who would also be the long-term successor to Salah. 

🚨🇬🇭 𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥: Antoine Semenyo plays for Ghana whose country failed to qualify for AFCON.

(Source: Liverpool Echo)

PREMIER LEAGUE OPENER HALTED AFTER ANTOINE SEMENYO REPORTS RACIAL ABUSE

Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo celebrates scoring his second goal of the season's opening Premier League game. Pic: PA

A man was ejected from Anfield after reports of racial abuse directed at Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo during the season's opening Premier League game against Liverpool.

Match referee Anthony Taylor paused play in the 29th minute after Semenyo accused a spectator of racist abuse.

An anti-discrimination message was read out to the Anfield crowd, and it is understood that police officers went into the referee's room at half-time.

Merseyside Police said an investigation is under way after the 47-year-old man's identity was confirmed and he was removed from the ground.

Chief Inspector Kev Chatterton, the match commander for the Liverpool v Bournemouth game, said: "Merseyside Police will not tolerate hate crime of any form.

"We take incidents like this very seriously, and in cases like this we will be proactively seeking football banning orders, with the club, against those responsible."

He added: "There is no place for racism and it is vital that anyone who witnesses such an offence reports it to stewards, or the police immediately, so we can take the necessary action like we did this evening.

"As with all matches, we work very closely with both Liverpool and Everton FC to ensure the safety of the public, and the players."

A spokesperson for Liverpool said the club was "aware of an allegation of racist abuse made during our Premier League game against Bournemouth".

Semenyo with his teammates during the match. Pic: PA

The Liverpool spokesperson said: "We condemn racism and discrimination in all forms, it has no place in society, or football.

"The club is unable to comment further as tonight's alleged is incident is the subject of an ongoing police investigation, which we will support fully."

After the incident, Semenyo scored twice in the second half to help bring Bournemouth back from two goals down at Anfield before Liverpool went on to eventually win the contest 4-2.

Bournemouth captain Adam Smith told Sky Sports News afterwards: "It shouldn't be happening. I don't know how Ant's played on to be honest and come up with those goals. It's totally unacceptable.

"Something needs to be done. Taking the knee isn't having an effect. We're supporting him and hopefully he'll be OK.

"I wanted him to react because that's what I would have done, but this shows what type of man he is...to come up with those goals showed the type of guy he is.

"To be fair the Liverpool players were very supportive as well towards Antoine and the rest of the team. It was handled in the right way but... so angry.

"I don't know what else we can do. No one's getting it. I don't know what to say anymore. I just feel for Ant... shocking."

The Premier League said in a statement that its "on-field anti-discrimination protocol" had been followed and the incident "will now be fully investigated".

"We offer our full support to the player and both clubs," it added. "Racism has no place in our game, or anywhere in society. We will continue to work with stakeholders and authorities to ensure our stadiums are an inclusive and welcoming environment for all."

The Football Association said it was "concerned" about the allegation of racism towards Semenyo and that it would ensure "appropriate action" would be taken.

The incident comes two days after Tottenham Hotspur player Mathys Tel faced racist abuse online following a missed penalty in his team's UEFA Super Cup victory over Paris Saint-Germain.

- Sky News