Man City open talks for Premier League star, Pep Guardiola called him ‘extraordinary’
Pep Guardiola will be absolutely buzzing as Man City gear up in advance of the January transfer window swinging open.
While Arsenal remain favourites for the Premier League title race, the Citizens follow closely behind by just two points, with Guardiola’s players just now stepping into fifth gear.
Despite reinvesting heavily during the summer transfer window and Rayan Cherki lighting up the Etihad Stadium at every opportunity, some signings have not worked out just yet.
Rayan Ait-Nouri has endured an injury-hit campaign to date, while Abdukodir Khusanov has barely been given a chance to prove himself, and City could be set to go straight back into the market.
Multiple Premier League teams have joined the race to sign Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth, and the latest update would suggest that Man City have taken an enormous step towards signing him.
Man City make contact to sign Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo
Speaking on talkSPORT (19 December), Alex Crook revealed: “We broke exclusively that he had a release clause in his contract, and that does indeed become active in the January transfer window.
“There is a cut-off point, I think halfway through the month, by which time clubs need to activate it. We know that Liverpool are keen, and there’s obviously a link there with Richard Hughes.
“Man United are in the race, and so are Tottenham, although I’d make them outsiders. But we can reveal that Man City have held talks with Antoine Semenyo, so Pep Guardiola is very much part of the pursuit as well.”
The transfer race for Bournemouth’s No.24 has been blown wide open, and it appears that one of the Manchester teams are destined to secure his signature in either of the next two transfer windows.
What has Pep Guardiola said about the Bournemouth star?
Unsurprisingly, Guardiola has been nothing but complimentary of the winger, who already has seven goals and three assists in 15 league matches this season.
The Catalan has lauded Semenyo as “extraordinary,” and given his last few seasons in the Premier League, the Man City boss is absolutely bang on, much like every other manager in the division [Ghana Soccer Net].
With 19 goal contributions across all competitions last term, Premier League managers have come to fear the winger, so it is not at all surprising to see the race already heating up for his signature.
The move could stunt the development of Jeremy Doku and Savinho, though. The battle for spots in Man City’s starting lineup is already fierce, and the introduction of Semenyo would only increase that.