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

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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.”