Tottenham are ready to ramp up their interest in Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo as the north London club prepare to rival both Liverpool and Manchester City for the winger in January. Semenyo has a release clause worth £65 million ($86m) in his contract, something his suitors are acutely aware of ahead of the reopening of the market.
Semenyo in demand
Semenyo is a wanted man ahead of the January window. Not only have reports suggested that Liverpool are preparing a move to trigger his release clause in January, which is made up of a £60m ($79m) fee and £5m ($7m) in bonuses, there is also reported interest from City, who view him as the kind of explosive attacking player who can slot into Pep Guardiola's frontline. Semenyo has enjoyed a fantastic season on the south coast, contributing six goals and three assists in 12 Premier League games.
Now, Sky Sports report that Spurs are intensifying their interest in the Ghana international ahead of the window. The club attempted to land two marquee wide players in the summer but were only successful in persuading Mohammed Kudus to move to north London, as Savinho stayed at City. It appears they remain interested in the profile, but would prefer to sign Semenyo to the Brazilian.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportCan Spurs land him?
Spurs have endured a difficult season under manager Thomas Frank, and while they are more ready to pay what is required to sign Semenyo, it is unclear if they will be able to qualify for Europe. Ahead of the midweek fixtures, Spurs had won just one home game all season, and sit in the bottom half of the Premier League table. A turnaround is, of course, possible, but reports suggest that Frank is under severe pressure, and could well lose his job before the January window swings open. It is unclear if that would impact Spurs' pursuit of Semenyo. They were interested in signing him in the summer but ultimately baulked at his £70m ($92m) asking price.
Semenyo supports Arsenal
Semenyo has been very open about the fact that he is an Arsenal fan, which may well put the brakes on any potential move to Spurs. Having already seen Gunners fan Eberechi Eze slip through their fingers, repeating that mistake would be very costly, but Semenyo insists he pays no attention to rumours.
Speaking to The Athletic in October of last year, he said: “I do hear it. But I try not to take too much notice. It is so early in the season and that can all fade away in a split second. It is great to hear they are interested — I don’t know how true that is — but I just want to focus on my game, continue doing what I’m doing, causing problems, scoring goals, getting assists. That’s the main thing. If that does come we will deal with that then but at this moment in time it is just about staying focused on what the goal and the plan is this year.”
“I am an Arsenal fan,” he says. “I don’t conflict the two with my job. It is great to play against Arsenal, a team I have watched all my life and I want to play for the top clubs as well. In order for that to happen I need to prove it.”
Getty Images SportSemenyo's next move?
Semenyo will have his next opportunity to prove his worth when Bournemouth play Chelsea this weekend. They then take on Manchester United, and it's almost certain that scouts will be keeping a close eye on the Ghanaian's performances.
He has confirmed that he wants to play in Europe, adding in his interview with The Athletic: “Yeah, any team that plays Champions League, Europa (League) — that’s the aim. I know that’s not going to come with a click of my fingers, it’s going to take some time. It’s going to take goals. It’s going to take a lot of consistent performances. But I’ve worked all my life for that and I’m just going to continue working hard. That’s my mentality.”
