Bournemouth already have Antoine Semenyo replacement as contact made for La Liga transfer
Bournemouth appear to have already set their Antoine Semenyo succession plan in motion after Manchester City opened talks for a deal on Monday.
The Ghana international has been linked with almost all of the Premier League’s top clubs in recent months, but it is Pep Guardiola and Co. who have made the first concrete move towards a deal.
Manchester City have opened talks with Bournemouth to explore the finer details of Semenyo’s release clause, and it now seems inevitable that his departure will come at some stage next month.
The Cherries have gained a reputation for their sensible and inventive transfer business in recent years, and their recruitment is set to be tested again as they bid to replace their outgoing star.
Andoni Iraola’s side have been on the slide a little of late, but they have already made their move in the background ahead of the upcoming transfer window.
Bournemouth make Ruben Vargas enquiry, £13m bid could seal deal
Football Insider revealed back in September that Tottenham were keen on Sevilla star Ruben Vargas, and that interest has now spread across the Premier League.
The winger is facing an uncertain future with the Spanish giants this winter, just one year after he joined them from Bundesliga side Augsburg.
The Switzerland international already has seven goal involvements to his name from just 12 appearances in La Liga this term, and as a result, that has prompted plenty of interest ahead of the window.
Bournemouth, Leeds United and Sunderland have all launched enquiries into Vargas’ availability, according to Spanish outlet ABC Sevilla.
The English trio are understood to be the clubs that are “most interested” in striking a deal, and view £8.7million as a potential starting price for a deal.
Sevilla value their star slightly higher, with an offer of £13m believed to be their ballpark figure to potentially accept a sale.
The imminent loss of Semenyo is set to provide a huge blow for Bournemouth, but the opportunity to bring in one of La Liga’s best-performing wingers for such an insignificant fee is surely too good an opportunity to pass up.
Ruben Vargas’ xG + xA stats make for excellent reading for Andoni Iraola
City are now pushing hard to sign Semenyo, and finding a way to replace his influence will be crucial as to how the remainder of the season pans out at the Vitality Stadium.
Vargas is unproven in the Premier League, but his creative stats from the first half of the season in Spain may be enough to convince Iraola that he can turn him into a star.
| Stats | Vargas Total |
| Appearances | 12 |
| Goals (Assists) | 3 (4) |
| xG + xA | 3.2 |
| Chances Created | 11 |
| Touches in Opposition Box | 34 |
| Successful Dribbles | 9 |
The wideman’s seven goal contributions have come from a combined xG and xA of just 3.2, according to Fotmob, which shows that he is both finishing clinically, but also making chances simpler for his teammates.
Bournemouth are about to lose both a goal and assist threat in Semenyo, so it is vital that they find a player of a similar mould to step into his shoes.
Vargas may not be the big-name arrival that would perhaps have been expected, but he could turn out to be yet another shrewd acquisition on the South Coast.