Sports
‘Excellent in everything’: Why Man City moved fast to sign Semenyo
What can you remember about the 2019 January transfer window? Brighton & Hove Albion signed midfielder Alexis Mac Allister for £6.5 million, Peter Crouch moved to Burnley and Liverpool transferred striker Dominic Solanke to Bournemouth for £19 million. But Bristol City technical director Brian Tinnion remembers a move that failed to materialize.
Chelsea, then managed by Maurizio Sarri, spent £57 million to sign USMNT star Christian Pulisic and loaned him back to Borussia Dortmund, but also had eyes on a winger at Bristol City. Chelsea offered £1 million to land the 19-year-old version of Antoine Semenyo, but City wanted a touch more. “There was just too much potential there to even consider an offer like that,” Tinnion told ESPN.
Seven years later, Semenyo has been at the forefront of January transfer talk again after Manchester City snapped up the Bournemouth winger for £65 million (£62.5 million initially, £1.5 million in add-ons, plus 10% of next transfer) on Thursday, activating his release clause before it expired on Saturday.
Gone are the days when Premier League teams would haggle over a measly million here or there for him; he has become a genuine box office attraction. But talk to those who’ve seen his rise from when he stepped away from the game a decade ago — disillusioned by having so many academy doors slammed in his face — to now, and there’s no miracle story. It’s a story of hard work, faith, dedication and an unwavering positive attitude.
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‘When he struck a ball, it stayed struck’
Semenyo’s path to the Etihad Stadium started with him navigating his way through the West Country. After failing to latch on at Fulham and Crystal Palace, he took a year out of the game to play basketball. But at age 16, he was tempted back and ended up at a trial day at Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre. Ex-Leeds boss Dave Hockaday was there scouting for talent for South Gloucestershire and Stroud College (SGS), where he was head of football. Hockaday was impressed by the confident central midfielder and thought he’d be better suited as a forward.
Tinnion was a frequent visitor to SGS matches, scouting for academy talent in his role as head of recruitment at Bristol City back in 2017. “[Semenyo] took our attention straight away, to be honest,” he said. “He really stood out. You could see he had pace and a hell of a shot on him, but there was a lot of work to be done — so that suited us just fine.”
Semenyo was loaned to Bath City in 2017-18 and had to bide his time, but a hat trick against Welton Rovers in the quarterfinal of the Somerset Premier Cup in February 2018 caught attention; it’s still making the rounds on social media.
Four years ago Antoine Semenyo was playing for Bath City in a Somerset Cup quarter-final against Welton Rovers.
Today, the 22-year-old is on the bench for Ghana at a #FIFAWorldCup 🇬🇭#BBCFootball #BBCWorldCup https://t.co/E28BBEYBzh
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) November 24, 2022
You can see glimpses of the player he is now on his first goal as he measures his run onto the through ball from Andy Watkins, glides over the pockmarked pitch and tucks the shot into the near corner, having evaded a late challenge. Behind the Bristol End at Twerton Park, there were 19 supporters — you can count them — and he celebrated in front of the sole photographer.
Then-Bath City manager Jerry Gill watched that goal recently. “He was really spindly back then,” he told ESPN. “But he’d have no fear physically in going up against big defenders … He had the physical attributes then, but you can see how much technical work he’s done. But when he struck a ball, it stayed struck.”
The next season, in 2018-19, Semenyo went on loan to League Two’s Newport County. “I think they played Leicester in the FA Cup on the telly, and he was a real handful,” Tinnion said. “Everybody started talking about him a little bit then, and that’s when the offer from Chelsea came in.”
Semenyo spent half of the 2019-20 campaign on loan with Sunderland. Tinnion said he struggled a bit there, but came back to Bristol City and worked hard, breaking out during the 2020-21 campaign. About four years after that hat trick against ninth-tier Welton Rovers, Semenyo came off the bench for Ghana in the 2022 World Cup against Cristiano Ronaldo‘s Portugal.
“After coming back from there, he had a brilliant spell just before [the January move] for us,” Tinnion said — Semenyo scored four in four matches. “He’d arrived on the stage.” A year later, Bournemouth beat out Crystal Palace to snap him up for £10.5 million as a backup striker to Solanke.
Though he played as a midfielder at school and as a striker at Bristol City, he settled on the flanks. When Solanke was injured for a spell in 2023-24, Semenyo spoke to Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola about returning up front. Training didn’t go to plan, so Semenyo stayed out wide. “I came to Bournemouth with intentions of playing as a striker, but playing out wide, I felt I was more effective getting on the ball,” he said. “So it was a case of coming to that realization that, ‘OK, I am a wide man now.'”
He evolved with Bournemouth’s direct, attacking style. They look to strip the game back to one-on-one duels in attack, and Semenyo has flourished. He contributed 11 goals plus assists in the 2023-24 season, and 20 in 2024-25. “His finishing is so much better,” Tinnion said. “He was always a little bit erratic and would look to hammer and smash everything, but now you see him just placing them in the corner with his right foot, with his left foot, and he’s so much more controlled.”
At the start of the 2025-26 season, he wrote down his aims in his journals. He had already signed a new deal with Bournemouth, saying at the time that he liked to feel appreciated and that it was “God’s work,” so his targets for the season were double-figure goals and assists, and fine-tuning his decision-making on when to pass and shoot. He always keeps an eye on the goalkeeper’s legs and how far apart they are, looking for an angle through them. As of Thursday, he is already at 13 goal contributions this season.
What Semenyo brings to Man City
By Tor-Kristian Karlsen
0:55
What will Antoine Semenyo bring to Man City?
Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens debate what Antoine Semenyo will bring to Manchester City ahead of his potential move from AFC Bournemouth.
The Bournemouth winger has turned into one of the league’s most uncomfortable opponents for defenders because of his ability to get through on goal with a variety of skills and threats. Iraola has used him across the front line, and Semenyo can fill practically any role without his level dropping — even as a center forward — though he still looks most natural starting from the left and shifting inside onto his right foot.
His most impactful aspect is arguably his ball carrying due to his explosiveness over the first five meters, plus his ability to reach top speed quickly. Once he finds space, Semenyo tends to go for the direct impact rather than controlled, low-risk progression.
More of a momentum forward who turn games through bursts and dashes, Semenyo is not conceptually a high-volume goal scorer. Yet the trend line is interesting as he’s on 10 league goals from 20 appearances, reaching double figures once again. His expected goals tally (6.7) points to an efficient finisher, while his shot involvement — usually clean, right-footed efforts — and chance-creation numbers match his constantly active presence around the box.
While his dribbling volume is decent (4.1 take-ons per 90 minutes) rather than exorbitant, his off-the-ball work also makes him stand out. With his knack for well-timed “third-player runs” and his willingness to wholeheartedly sprint beyond the ball, he’s an important part of Bournemouth’s direct attack by often giving them a second wave in transition that is difficult to defend. He consistently attacks space with maximum intensity, stretching defensive lines and creating space for others.
Semenyo also offers defensive value as he constantly engages in duels. Even when he struggles to impose himself on the attacking rhythm, the pressing and willingness to regain possession is always present.
While he can function in settled possession sides, he’s clearly at his most dangerous in open, end-to-end matches where the pitch opens up and his power, timing and directness become decisive weapons.
‘Real enthusiasm and energy’
Those who’ve worked with Semenyo talk about his humility, work ethic and eagerness to leave a positive legacy in the sport. Back in August, he reported that he had been racially abused in a match against Liverpool (the individual has denied the allegation and a trial will take place in April). In November, Semenyo met a young Bournemouth supporter named Mylo who had been racially abused at school. The two bonded, vowing to help each other out.
Gill, who was assistant manager at Yeovil until early December, still hears from Semenyo often. “He was messaging me about a player he knew who was looking for an opportunity,” Gill said. “He was saying he’s been a bit unlucky — you know, usual story with injuries and things.
“He’s always inviting me and my boys to come and watch him play. He’s still a very humble young man.”
Jerry Gill (right) was manager of Bath City during Antoine Semenyo’s 2018 stint at the club. Photo credit: Simon Howe/Bath City FC.
All the while, other clubs have monitored him. One expert said he’s a player who hasn’t yet found his ceiling, citing Bayern Munich‘s Michael Olise as a similar example and noting how playing for the German team has improved him. There’s a feeling that Semenyo could likewise flourish; though he’ll need time to adjust after being so attuned to Bournemouth’s style, he has the potential to get even better.
That potential and the personality are why City are open to paying the transfer fee, much to Bournemouth’s sadness. “It’s no secret he is a massive player for us,” Iraola said in late December.
When he makes his Manchester City debut, there’ll be a host of figures who have tracked his journey watching eagerly. From the Somerset Premier Cup to playing for Pep Guardiola, it has been an incredible trajectory.
“He’s had to do the hard yards,” Gill said. “He was excellent in everything he did, the way he carried himself, the way he trained, and has this wonderful smile with real enthusiasm and energy for the game. … If anyone deserves it, it’s definitely him.”
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The Memphis Grizzlies are entertaining trade offers for two-time All-Star point guard Ja Morant, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania on Friday.
A trade would end Morant’s tumultuous seven-year tenure in Memphis, which has featured Rookie of the Year and Most Improved Player awards and plenty of jaw-dropping highlights. But multiple off-court issues and various injuries have dominated headlines across the past three seasons.
Morant, 26, has had various issues with Tuomas Iisalo, the organization’s new coach, and was suspended for one game earlier this season for conduct detrimental to the team. Morant is averaging career lows in minutes, rebounds and 2- and 3-point percentages.
League sources told ESPN’s Michael C. Wright that Morant still hasn’t gotten over the suspension because he felt alienated by teammates, who were told to leave the star guard alone so he could work through the issues that led to the suspension. In the aftermath, Morant told players around the league and some of his former coaches that he isn’t playing for Memphis anymore, according to sources.
Why could Memphis struggle to get full value in return for its dynamic guard? Which deals and suitors make sense? Our NBA insiders examine the market for Morant, including four trade proposals that could impact the race to the postseason.
Jump to a section:
What makes a Morant deal so difficult?
Financial impact of dealing for the star
Morant trades: to MIA | MIL | TOR | MIN
How difficult will it be for Memphis to trade Morant?
“This is a big season for Ja,” general manager Zach Kleiman said at Grizzlies media day in September. “As we continue to build this team, to be able to achieve a high-end outcome, we need Ja to be a consistent, All-NBA-caliber player.”
Instead, an inconsistent Morant has suffered through his worst season as a pro. His scoring has dropped to 19.0 points per game, lowest since his rookie season in 2029-20. He’s shooting a career-low 40% from the field and 21% on 3-pointers. Among 134 players with as many shot attempts as Morant this season, the guard ranks 133rd in effective field goal percentage.
Morant’s greatest strength has been his ability to get to the rim; in the 2021-22 season, he ranked fourth in made field goals in the restricted area on a leaderboard populated almost exclusively by centers.
But now he is taking fewer shots than ever at the basket, and more shots than ever from the midrange. According to Basketball Reference, Morant had 0.96 dunks per game during his two All-Star seasons, but he’s down to 0.39 dunks per game since.
That statistical decline might not be a hindrance in trade talks, as interested teams could envision a change in scenery rejuvenating Morant’s game. After all, he’s not that far removed from making the All-NBA second team and receiving MVP votes. But combined with Morant’s frequent injuries and off-court controversies, the performance drop-off makes for a significant reduction in Morant’s value.
Because point guard is such a deep position around the league, few other teams need a player like Morant — and one of those potential suitors, the Washington Wizards, just added a new point guard. It’s difficult to imagine a serious bidding war for Morant at this stage, or for much of a trade return for Memphis, given that the Wizards’ acquisition of Trae Young came with no draft compensation headed to the Atlanta Hawks. — Zach Kram
What is the financial impact of adding Morant?
Morant has three years left on his contract (he is eligible to sign a three-year, $178 million extension next summer) and has a salary that ranks just 28th in the league, but availability matters. Morant is on pace for his third straight season of fewer than 60 games.
As the Hawks found with Young, fewer teams need point guards. The teams that do have a vacancy, such as the Minnesota Timberwolves, do not have a first-round pick to trade in the next seven years. Because they are over the first apron, the Wolves are not allowed to take back more salary and would need to send out at least three players. The same constraints apply to the Phoenix Suns.
The Brooklyn Nets and Sacramento Kings, meanwhile, have the draft capital, financial flexibility and contracts to get a deal done, but adding Morant would hardly fit their rebuilding timelines.
One thing working in Memphis’ favor in trade talks: Unlike Atlanta with Young, Morant missed out on All-NBA in 2022-23. If Morant had made it, the five-year, $197 million rookie extension he signed in the 2022 offseason would have increased to $237 million.
In the apron era, this detail matters. Instead of an onerous $47.3 million cap hit this season and $50.6 million and $53.9 million the next two years, Morant is owed $39.5 million, $42.2 million and $44.9 million, respectively. –– Bobby Marks
Four offers for Morant
Here are trades our experts propose for Morant to get out of Memphis, including two three-team deals:
Miami Heat get:
Ja Morant
Memphis Grizzlies get:
If any change of scenery can help Morant rediscover his All-Star form, it’s a move to Miami. The “Heat culture” ethos might be cliché, but it delivers results.
Replacing Herro with Morant would increase variance for Miami, as the Grizzlies point guard comes with a lower floor but higher ceiling than Herro. It’s difficult to imagine Herro ever being one of the top 10 players in the league, as Morant was in 2021-22.
But the Heat need the offensive upside that Morant might provide. They haven’t finished in the top 10 in offensive rating since 2019-20, per Cleaning the Glass, and even their new offensive system this season has brought them only to average. The problem is a lack of star power.
Granted, acquiring Morant might be complicated given that Miami’s new offensive game plan borrows a great deal from the system Morant disliked in Memphis last season. But this might still be a risk worth taking because it’s also unclear whether Herro fits as a long-term player in Miami.
Herro is set to reach free agency after the 2026-27 season, and extension talks this summer could prove thorny, as he’s in the exact class of player — talented but not All-NBA level, an excellent offensive player but a defensive liability — that is most at risk of losing money due to teams’ financial restraint under the new collective bargaining agreement.
The combined salaries for Herro and Fontecchio are almost a perfect match for Morant’s, and Morant and Herro are similar enough in present-day value that, much like in Young’s trade to Washington, no draft picks are included in this deal.
Miami could also try to trade for Morant using other players with smaller salaries than Herro, such as Andrew Wiggins or Terry Rozier (if the NBA permits his inclusion in a trade). But those possibilities aren’t as clean a financial fit; Miami is close to the luxury tax line, and Morant, Herro and Norman Powell wouldn’t all fit on the same team. — Kram
Milwaukee Bucks get:
Ja Morant
Memphis Grizzlies get:
Kyle Kuzma
Kevin Porter Jr.
2026 first-round swap
Detroit Pistons get
Gary Harris
Cash considerations
Frankly, Morant has been nowhere near as effective this season as Porter, who is averaging 18.4 points per game on far better efficiency (.595 true shooting percentage) than Morant (.506). Like the Heat, however, the Bucks need an upside play to salvage the tail end of Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s prime. Porter’s play hasn’t been enough to keep Milwaukee in a play-in spot amidst Antetokounmpo’s injuries.
Because the Bucks are saving the Grizzlies so much money — $20-plus million in 2026-27, provided Porter declines his below-market $5.4 million player option, and Morant’s entire $45 million salary in 2027-28 — they’re not willing to offer a first-round pick outright in this construction.
Instead, Memphis would add Milwaukee to a convoluted set of pick swaps. The Grizzlies will likely end up with their own pick and one from either Orlando or Phoenix, whichever team finishes with a worse record. They could swap the worst of those picks for the one the Bucks end up with after a potential swap with New Orleans. At present, that would move Memphis up from the 18th pick to a tie for 10th, although presumably Milwaukee would bet on making the playoffs after this trade.
The Bucks would still retain the ability to offer three first-round picks in a trade on draft night to build around what would now be an Antetokounmpo-Morant core. — Pelton
Toronto Raptors get:
Ja Morant
Memphis Grizzlies get:
Immanuel Quickley
Ochai Agbaji
2026 first-round pick (top-14 protected)
At last year’s trade deadline, the Raptors dealt a first-round pick to the New Orleans Pelicans for Brandon Ingram, a former All-Star without much of a trade market. In this proposal, Toronto pounces on another opportunity to acquire an underpriced former All-Star for one first-round pick.
In so doing, the Raptors would attempt to upgrade at the point guard position, where Quickley has been fine but unspectacular since joining the team in the OG Anunoby trade in December 2023. This season, Quickley has a 15.5 player efficiency rating (15.0 is average), which seems a fair assessment of his current value.
Morant would offer far more upside, albeit with a greater downside, but that’s a reasonable risk for a team that could use a top-tier playmaker to seriously contend in the East. The Raptors rank third in defensive rating this season but only 20th on offense with Quickley running the show.
Memphis might reasonably ask for more draft compensation to take back Quickley’s contract, which is somewhat underwater as it extends for another three years at $32.5 million per season. But if the situation with Morant has become so toxic that the Grizzlies just need a replacement — and that the expected trade return for him has fallen accordingly — getting another first-round pick in a loaded 2026 draft could benefit them regardless. — Kram
Minnesota Timberwolves get:
Ja Morant
Memphis Grizzlies get:
Rob Dillingham
Naz Reid
2027 second-round pick (via Bulls)
Washington Wizards get:
Utah Jazz get:
Mike Conley
Cash considerations
To a degree, the Timberwolves are included to show how difficult it would be for them to acquire Morant without breaking up the core that has led them to consecutive Western Conference finals. As Marks explained, Minnesota would need to include multiple players and at least one of fan favorite Reid, ace defender Jaden McDaniels and All-Star Julius Randle.
Of those options, Reid is the least painful to lose and would be a more natural fit with the Grizzlies’ existing frontcourt than Randle. If I’m running the Timberwolves, I see Reid and two recent first-round picks as more than adequate value in return for Morant. If anything, I’d be asking Memphis to include draft picks to get out of Morant’s remaining salary.
Adding four players from Minnesota is untenable for the full Grizzlies roster, so it would reroute Conley back to the Jazz as a veteran leader with cash to help cover his remaining salary and Shannon to the Wizards in exchange for a second-round pick to fill the roster spot they created in the trade adding Trae Young.
That leaves Memphis with an upgraded frontcourt, a chance to evaluate a recent lottery pick in Dillingham and a decent second-round pick. — Pelton
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New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart set social media buzzing with speculation about the team’s next head coach after fans attempted to lip-read the rookie on the Ole Miss sideline during Thursday night’s Fiesta Bowl.
There are currently eight teams in the NFL on the hunt for a new head coach, including the Giants, who fired Brian Daboll midseason following another missed playoffs. Several notable names have since been thrown into the pool of available coaches, and Dart appeared to have given fans a clue as to who the Big Blue has been eyeing.
New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart stands on the sideline during the first half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA College Football Playoff semifinal game between Miami (Florida) and Mississippi in Glendale, Arizona, on Jan. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Dart was on the sidelines for his alma mater Ole Miss during the team’s 31-27 loss to Miami in the Fiesta Bowl when the broadcast picked up the 22-year-old having a conversation.
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Although his comments were inaudible, social media users attempted to read Dart’s lips, prompting speculation that he said “Harbaugh or Stefanski,” a reference to former Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and former Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski.
Although it remains unclear what Dart was truly saying, both coaches are widely considered among the most sought-after free agents currently in the NFL.
Head coach John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens walks the field prior to the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium on Jan. 4, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
NEW YORK GIANTS NEXT HEAD COACH ODDS: KEVIN STEFANSKI FAVORED, HARBAUGH IN MIX
The Ravens’ decision to fire Harbaugh after 18 seasons — a tenure that included multiple division titles, several AFC Championship appearances and a Super Bowl victory — rattled the league and drew interest from numerous teams, including some that already had head coaches in place.
While the Giants have yet to interview Harbaugh, it seems inevitable they will.
Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski walks on the sideline during the second half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Jan. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)
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The Giants have already conducted interviews with Stefanski, Vance Joseph, Raheem Morris, and Antonio Pierce.
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