Man City showing strong interest in £65m star who looks like the new Sane
da pinnacle： Pep Guardiola remains coy, but the plain truth is that Manchester City have closed ground on Premier League table-toppers Arsenal ahead of the Christmas period, and Sky Blue supporters know they would be wise to buckle in.
da leao： But then, another truth would be that this is simply not Pep’s strongest City squad. That said, there is enough quality within the Etihad Stadium to challenge for and potentially win the league title, especially with Erling Haaland in such impudent goalscoring form.
However, Haaland can’t do it alone all year long, with the list of the club’s top scorers underscoring the need for more firepower.
Man City – Top Scorers 25/26 (all comps)
Player
Apps
Goals
Erling Haaland
20
20
Phil Foden
19
9
Jeremy Doku
21
3
Rayan Cherki
14
3
Josko Gvardiol
16
2
Ruben Dias
20
2
Tijjani Reijnders
21
2
Phil Foden is going from strength to strength, and that could be a defining factor in City’s revival, but it’s understandable that Guardiola and the board are hoping to sign a new wide forward.
City's winter transfer plans
Haaland continues to defy expectations. Even his soaring expectations. But there’s no question that Guardiola’s side could pack a few more angles into their punches, and that’s something that may need to be fixed in January if the Premier League title is to return to the blue side of Manchester.
Given that the Norwegian goal machine is fixed into his starting berth at number nine, perhaps a goalscoring wideman could be what Pep needs.
According to TEAMtalk, Man City still have a strong interest in signing Antoine Semenyo despite Liverpool’s ostensible lead in the race. All the pointers suggest the 26-year-old is inching toward an exit from Bournemouth in 2026.
Semenyo has been one of the standout players in the Premier League this season, and with his £65m release clause switching on in January, City will need to pounce quickly to beat off the thick competition for his signature.
Why Pep wants to sign Semenyo
Most of the noise surrounding Semenyo and his future centres around struggling Premier League champions Liverpool, but City know they have it in their power to convince him to join their project.
A big-game player and with six goals and three assists to his name in the English top flight this term, Semenyo is riding the crest of a wave, with a skillset that looks perfect for a team fighting at the top.
His potency and pace could lead him to rival Jeremy Doku as City’s new version of Leroy Sane, who is fondly remembered to this day for his exploits in Manchester.
But, more accurately, Semenyo could actually emerge as Pep’s own version of Sadio Mane, the former Liverpool attacker.
Liverpool analyst Josh Williams has actually suggested that the Ghana international is “the closest you’ll find to peak Mane right now” , and given the terrorising of Premier League defences – including City’s – that the Senegalese winger used to inflict, Pep could do a lot worse than add a new version to his ranks.
Looking at the former Liverpool man during the 2021/22 campaign, leading to a second-place finish at the Ballon d’Or ceremony, in comparison to Semenyo this season, you can perhaps see why such a claim was made, with the Cherries star boasting a completeness that few can claim they have within their locker.
Premier League – Sadio Mane vs Antoine Semenyo
Stats (* per game)
Mane (21/22)
Semenyo (25/26)
Matches (starts)
34 (32)
14 (14)
Goals
16
6
Assists
2
3
Shots (on target)*
2.9 (1.1)
2.4 (1.4)
Big chances missed
13
5
Accurate passes
23.6 (77%)
19.8 (78%)
Chances created*
1.3
1.3
Succ. dribbles*
1.4
1.6
Tackles*
1.0
1.7
Duels won*
4.7
6.5
Data via Sofascore
Both players are combative and dynamic and deadly in the final third, and while Semenyo has the pace and athleticism to rekindle memories of a star like Sane, it is the one-time Liverpool icon, who he bears a more striking tactical likeness.
Two-footed and able to play across both wings, Semenyo is the real deal, and though Bournemouth are struggling for form at this moment in time, he remains a beaming beacon for Andoni Iraola in the final third, having been named the “best winger in the country” by Chris Waddle for his efforts this season.
How City could do with a fleet-footed winger in their mix like Sane right now, someone to contrast with the electric Jeremy Doku.
Semenyo, with all his hustle and bustle, could be the perfect man for the title-chasing task at hand.
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