The 2025/26 season of Premier League football has been a wacky one, as few — if any — top clubs have been immune to slips in form.
Indeed, the gap between the top sides and the echelon below has shrunk considerably, forcing the giants into a race to scoop up the talented players punishing them on a seemingly weekly basis.
One of the top culprits is Antoine Semenyo of Bournemouth, who has electrified crowds both at Vitality Stadium and around the biggest venues in England. Semenyo has been at his best under the brightest lights, scoring goals this season at both Old Trafford and Anfield as well as against Brighton & Hove Albion, Leeds United, and Fulham.
With Semenyo not amongst those departing for Africa Cup of Nations duty thanks to Ghana’s failure to qualify, and the presence of a release clause in his contract, there is believed to be heavy interest from across the Premier League’s top sides in securing a winter transfer for the 25-year-old.
According to Ben Jacobs of GiveMeSport, there is a “strong chance” that Semenyo leaves Bournemouth for a bigger club in January. Jacobs reports that a bid must be lodged by January 10 for the £65 million clause to be active, otherwise it disappears until the summer when it reactivates at £60 million.
Bournemouth may be forced to sell due to the release clause, but they are also open to negotiating a deal for Semenyo that involves a loan back the rest of the season, or a pre-arrangement for a summer transfer.
The Sporting News looks at each of Semenyo’s suitors to see exactly where he would fit the best, and who could be the most likely club to complete a deal.
MORE: Premier League top scorers in 2025/26, with Semenyo amongst those jockeying for position
Antoine Semenyo transfer options for January 2026
As January approaches and Semenyo’s release clause nears activation, there is not yet any clear sign of an imminent deal for the 25-year-old.
The clubs most consistently linked with a move for Semenyo are Manchester City and Manchester United, but even then the rumours are speculative, and many other top clubs are reportedly in the mix.
Keep an eye on things as January arrives, as this is a deal which has the likelihood of advancing quickly once a frontrunner is established. On that note, the report by Jacobs of GiveMeSport indicates that Semenyo will likely leave in “early January” suggesting things could move very quickly once the window opens.
Manchester City
As January approaches, Man City appear the club most heavily linked with a move for Semenyo, yet this deal would feel unnecessary and nonsensical for City to make.
Sure, City have struggled to secure top-tier talent out wide in recent years, as Savinho continues to struggle and Jeremy Doku has only just now begun to deliver at the level expected. Yet the exceptional performances of Rayan Cherki since arriving this past summer would render a deal for Semenyo redundant.
Obviously, injuries can change the situation in a hurry, but spending this kind of money for a January move to secure a player of Semenyo’s talent as mere injury cover would feel odd. It’s possible Pep Guardiola wishes for more cover, especially if City are finally ready to render Savinho a flop, but at this stage the wing positions at the Etihad feel bloated already.
Manchester United
Semenyo has terrorized many teams this season, and Man United are no exception, seeing the Ghanaian score against them in the wacky 4-4 draw in mid-December. Indeed, he surely impressed Ruben Amorim, who got a first-hand account of Semenyo’s danger after talking him up as a “special player” before the game.
United have reportedly been amongst the suitors for his services this winter, as they are often linked to players of this calibre, yet in reality it would seem an odd fit.
Amorim’s system does not really have room for traditional wide players, and Semenyo would either need to convert to wing-back or play a more central attacking role. With Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha entrenched in the two starting positions up front, while Benjamin Sesko, Patrick Dorgu, and Joshua Zirkzee rotate in, there is simply no room for Semenyo to participate at a consistent level, from either a tactical perspective or squad perspective.
However, if Zirkzee were to leave in January, as had been suggested, United may try to seize the opportunity to sign a player Sky Sports claim is a long-term target for Old Trafford bosses.
United are one of two leading suitors, according to Ben Jacobs’ report, along with Man City.
Liverpool
From a squad perspective, Liverpool almost certainly pose the best fit for Semenyo.
With Mohamed Salah potentially leaving Anfield soon, whether it be this winter or next summer, a need exists at right wing where Semenyo naturally plays. Dominik Szoboszlai has been bright this season in that position, but he is best suited for a No. 10 role, and he has also been forced to play right-back often this season due to various injuries.
Yet they are not leading the race, according to most reports. ESPN says Liverpool are “in the queue of clubs waiting to trigger the clause” and have been “heavily linked” with Semenyo, but offer little else in the way of concrete links, while Sky Sports describe Liverpool’s interest in Semenyo as “in the background.”
This is likely due to finances, given how much the club spent in the summer to retool the squad. Answers will be needed in the way of Salah replacement, but at this point it might be too soon for Liverpool to once again open the war chest.
However, the injury to Alexander Isak could change their situation, and present a greater need for the Reds to bring in an additional attacker sooner rather than later. Jacobs indicates that while Liverpool have been “less active” in negotiations for Semenyo recently, they could be persuaded by a lengthy Isak absence.
Chelsea
Semenyo is a footballer who may be available for transfer, so, naturally, Chelsea are said to be interested.
Fabrizio Romano reported on December 23 that the Blues had made contact over a possible deal for the player, with the Manchester clubs and Liverpool apparently the biggest rivals for his signature.
Quite where Enzo Maresca would play Semenyo is harder to fathom. Chelsea signed Jamie Gittens, Alejandro Garnacho, Joao Pedro, Liam Delap and Estevao this past summer for a combined outlay of well over £200 million ($270m), and Cole Palmer recently returned to fitness. They also brought in Facundo Buonanotte on loan, recalled Marc Guiu from Sunderland, and still have Raheem Sterling on the books. Oh, and Geovany Quenda and Dastan Satpaev will arrive at the end of the season, while loanees Kendry Paez and Nicolas Jackson are set to return to the club.
Either Chelsea are simply desperate to stop a talented player joining another club, or Maresca is not convinced by some (or several) of the attackers at his disposal and wants to sign an upgrade.
Tottenham
Tottenham are a team with plenty of motivation to add talent this January, and Semenyo could be an immediate upgrade for under-fire Spurs boss Thomas Frank.
The hot start to the season for Mohammed Kudus has evaporated, meaning Frank has begun to rotate his entire attacking unit from game to game. None of Brennan Johnson (linked with a January exit), Mathys Tel, or Wilson Odobert have been able to contribute on a consistent basis, while Dejan Kulusevski, Dominic Solanke, and James Maddison all nurse long-term injuries.
The biggest issue for Spurs, as it always seems to be, is money, especially after shelling out a whopping €200 million ($247m) across the summer window.
There’s also the issue of convincing the player, which could come into play here. Jacobs reports that Tottenham “made an approach” but “feel Semenyo has other priorities.” It feels a longshot.
Antoine Semenyo release clause at Bournemouth
Semenyo signed a new Bournemouth contract back in the summer, which ties him to the club through the summer of 2030.
According to multiple reports, including ESPN and Sky Sports, this contract at Bournemouth includes a £65 million ($86m/€74m) release clause that becomes active January 1, 2026 and remains so through the first two weeks of the transfer window.
This is designed to create urgency within potential suitors and allow Bournemouth the latter half of the transfer window to sort out a replacement should he move on.
