Antoine Semenyo is on the verge of finalizing a significant transfer to Manchester City after reaching an agreement on personal terms. According to renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano, the negotiations between City and Bournemouth are nearly complete, signaling that the talented forward is set to make his move in the coming days.
🚨 The deal for Antoine Semenyo to join Manchester City is almost finalized, with only a few last steps remaining.
Today, there was a productive conversation between Manchester City and Bournemouth, allowing discussions to progress smoothly, while Semenyo prepares himself to officially join #MCFC (https://twitter.com/hashtag/MCFC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw).
Stay tuned, as this deal is about to be confirmed soon! 🔜 pic.twitter.com/2MGqbunJLS (https://t.co/2MGqbunJLS)
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 30, 2025 (https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/2006051619809481137?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
After Bournemouth's recent 2-2 draw against Chelsea, manager Andoni Iraola shared with the media that he expects Semenyo to be available for their upcoming match against Arsenal on Saturday. However, it’s likely that this will be his last appearance for the Cherries.
During the summer, Manchester United was among the clubs keenly interested in securing Semenyo's services (https://strettynews.com/2025/04/15/ornstein-amorim-very-fond/). Although they were unable to finalize a deal before the season kicked off, they have rekindled their interest ahead of the winter transfer window as they aim to strengthen Ruben Amorim’s squad following a challenging stretch.
The 25-year-old has been in exceptional form, particularly over the last season and a half, making him an appealing addition to bolster Amorim’s attacking options.
Here’s a quick look at his recent performance stats:
- Season 25/26: 18 appearances, 9 goals, 3 assists
- Season 24/25: 37 appearances, 11 goals, 6 assists
Once it became public that Semenyo had a £65 million release clause, Manchester United quickly determined that he was worth the investment (https://strettynews.com/2025/12/22/david-ornstein-antoine-semenyo-manchester-united-january/) and began reaching out to both the player and Bournemouth to express their interest.
However, from Semenyo's viewpoint, the chance to play under the esteemed Pep Guardiola and compete for trophies through the end of the season proved too attractive to ignore.
In recent weeks, he has turned down offers from several Premier League rivals, including Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, and Liverpool, clearly indicating that his preferred destination is the Etihad Stadium.
As for INEOS executives, it remains uncertain whether they will pursue additional attacking options this month, especially since acquiring a midfielder seems to be their top priority.
