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Is £65 million a bargain in today’s market? For Antoine Semenyo, the answer is yes. The Bournemouth forward is the biggest transfer story heading into January 2026, with Liverpool, Spurs, and Manchester City all circling. Why? Because the data proves he's the Premier League's most balanced attacker. We break down the £65M release clause and reveal the outlier stats to discover the exact tactical fit for his next club and why the transfer has to happen now.
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00:00Antoine Semenyo is the hottest commodity in the Premier League right now and the reason is simple.
00:05He is built for the modern game. In the next few minutes I'll be breaking down just what he brings
00:10to the table, how the data places him amongst the league's best and where his future may lie
00:14and also even a backup option for those who miss out on his signature.
00:30So the standard facts right off the bat are that he's a 25-year-old 6'1 winger who's built like an
00:37absolute machine but stating the obvious aside, Semenyo's on-pitch prowess comes from the fact
00:42that he is able to combine arguably two of the game's most crucial components, athleticism and
00:48technical ability. I mean we've all seen it over the years right, you get the genetic freak of an
00:53athlete who can move faster than a cheater but ends up smashing the ball into Rosette or you get the
00:58gifted genius of a footballer who looks like a lost child when it comes to the physical demands
01:02of top flight football. But that ain't him. If there's a phrase or term of the opposite of a
01:07one-trick pony, this is definitely it. Let's start with some basic numbers that most people want to
01:12know when discussing an attacker. Goals and assists. At the time of recording, Semenyo has directly been
01:18involved in nine goals slash assists from his 11 Premier League appearances in the 25-26 campaign.
01:24This places him amongst the league's top performers for goal contributions in the mix with
01:28the likes of Haaland, Mateta, Welbeck, even Brentford's Igor Thiago. Not only good company to be keeping
01:34name-wise, but all the more impressive when you note he isn't even a striker. With so much frightening
01:40pace, strength, agility, Semenyo is able to not only find his way into dangerous areas, 45 touches in the
01:46opposition box this season, he's then got the ability to get shots off, 23 so far this season, and create
01:52chance for his teammates, 8 so far this season. Overall, his attacking intent is relentless. However,
01:57the defining characteristic that separates him from pure attacking outlets is his elite defensive
02:03contribution. This is the metric that makes him so appealing to so many managers. Semenyo currently has 18
02:09tackles this season. These are signs of exceptional work rate, especially coming from an attacker and a key
02:15indicator of a player who is tactically aware enough to actively participate in a high-pressing system, forcing
02:20errors and creating immediate scoring opportunities. This defensive diligence is a non-negotiable trait
02:27for the top teams in the world. And with all that, if you add in his positional flexibility into the
02:32mix, he's pretty much goal dust. It means he can solve multiple squad issues for a Champions League
02:37club, offering immediate quality across the entire front line. He is the ultimate modern attacker.
02:44Quick, gifted, clinical, and committed to all phases of the game. For someone whose release
02:50clause means they'll be available for £65 million in January and a little bit less in the summer,
02:55he's looking like an absolute steal. And to truly appreciate why clubs are willing to meet that
02:59figure, we need to compare Semenyo's 25-26 per 90 data to other top Premier League wingers and
03:06attackers. The clearest Premier League comparisons that emerge from the data are Anthony Gordon and Jeremy
03:12Doku. Both are known for their direct running and work great, and Semenyo matches their attacking
03:17output while often surpassing them defensively. His successful dribbles per 90 at 1.9 are more than
03:23Gordon and way less than Doku, whereas his combined defensive actions, tackles, interceptions,
03:28clearances, and the like are way more than both with 7.64 actions per 90 compared to Doku's 5.53
03:34and Gordon's 4.66. The reason I think these stats are important is not only because it shows the level
03:40he's operating at, but also because other big clubs in the league who are interested in Semenyo,
03:45we'll come to them shortly, can see exactly what they don't have compared to their rivals.
03:50For this reason, I'd strike Newcastle and Man City off of the list because they have Gordon and Doku
03:55respectively performing similar roles. Although, let's be honest, in Man City's case, Guardiola's
04:00never afraid of having more than a few options, so maybe I won't rule it out totally. Whilst doing this
04:05research, actually, I came across another interesting metric in his aerial duels one with an impressive
04:1126 this season, putting him in the 94th percentile for attackers. Now, that's a trait that can make him
04:17a unique threat from goal kicks, set pieces, loads of them this season, or when challenging in the box,
04:22and it's the dimension that players like Mo Salah, Bukayo Saka don't typically offer. Don't get me
04:28wrong, no winger is being signed for his aerial ability, the ones I mentioned before as well, Doku,
04:32Gordon, but hey, if that comes with the package, then sure, it's a nice added bonus. So, with this
04:37high floor, high ceiling data being a huge reason why many clubs are circling, who should actually
04:42be going in for him?
04:44That is pretty special from Antoine Semenya.
04:47So, I've split this part of the video into three different options, and the first is Liverpool.
04:53Under honour slot, Liverpool's system demands wide forwards who are exceptional pressers and who are
04:57direct, aggressive runners. Semenya's defensive metrics and tireless energy are tailor-made,
05:02need for these requirements. Also, they've got Champions League football, they can afford to
05:06spend the money, apparently, still, and are a clear and obvious step up in terms of club size
05:11and just general level, let's be honest. I do agree with some sentiments that they've already
05:16messed around too much with their squad and they need to get the best out of their summer signings
05:19first, but when a deal for a player like this comes around, I can't see them just sitting back
05:24and watching a rival pick up a player so easily. I've also seen arguments online that he could be a
05:30Salah replacement, but I'm not 100% convinced. I'd pitch him more as a left winger, not a right
05:35winger, and replacing the amount of goals that Salah brings to Liverpool is probably what Isak has
05:40been brought in for, so I don't think Semenya fills in in a like-for-like role. Best task Isak with
05:45that role, and Eketike as well, rather than putting it all on Semenya. The second is Tottenham Hotspur,
05:51in what will definitely be an extraordinarily different experience to what Semenya would be
05:55getting at Liverpool. At Spurs, Semenya would almost stay as the big fish in a small pond,
06:00but a pond that could grow with him in it, if that sort of makes sense. To start, he'd be looked to as
06:06the instigator for a lot of good things that Spurs would do and would be required to bring everything
06:11right away. He'd move to a club where he would play the majority of the time at a higher level
06:16than Bournemouth in the Champions League and under another tactical coach in Thomas Frank. And what I mean
06:22by a growing pond is that if, and there's always an if with Spurs, they can get players back from
06:26injury like Maddison, Solanke, Kulazewski, start to get the best out of Kudus and Simmons, with
06:31exciting young players like Berg, Valensar, all backed up by a good defence featuring Romero and
06:35van der Ven, the potential for the team to grow and compete at a higher level is there. You just need
06:41to pull it all together. Like I said with Spurs, it's always a big if. As for some of the other
06:47options. Basically, you've got Premier League teams with Champions League football and money
06:50to offer. But Arsenal have signed Eze recently, still have Martinelli and are doing pretty good
06:56of late. Man City have Doku, amongst other rotation options. Chelsea also have a wealth of options in
07:01that winger department, including the incoming Giovanni Quenda, about whom I made a video on.
07:06You can check that out here. As do Newcastle, who I don't think would spend that sort of money
07:10anyways. So that leaves me with one more option. Bournemouth. That's right. What if he stays?
07:17Now, the club's hierarchy have already publicly acknowledged the player's right to fulfill his
07:21dream. At 25, Semenyo is heading into the prime of his career, and the chance to compete for Champions
07:25League football and major trophies is the natural next step. Adding another layer of complexity is the
07:31financial ripple effect, whereby Bristol City, Semenyo's former club, reportedly hold a 20%
07:37sell-on clause on any profit Bournemouth make. What if he stays to see what he can achieve with
07:42Bournemouth this season? The last few years have seen Andoni Arrola transform the team into one
07:47that's capable of beating pretty much anybody on their day. Semenyo has, of course, been a big part
07:52of that. But they've got some really talented players alongside him too. If his desire is to play
07:57European football, who's to say they can't achieve a top seven finish this season? Or maybe even win the
08:01FA Cup like Crystal Palace did and earn a spot in Europe that way? Of course, in the long run,
08:07and this is what you've got to consider when you look at Liverpool, even if they aren't in great
08:10form or if Spurs aren't challenging for the Champions League, is that those other clubs can
08:15offer regular Champions League football more often than Bournemouth can. But does it need to be right
08:21now, mid-season, when they've got a good thing going? Maybe it's worth a quick thought at least.
08:26Quick side note, Bournemouth actually may be less inclined for this to happen, as his release clause
08:30does low in the summer, like I mentioned. So is it worth keeping them around to see what they can
08:35achieve in the meantime? Finally, it brings me then to a replacement option for any clubs who
08:43miss out on him. It's a little bit of a Brucey bonus in this video. And the name? Kevin Sharder.
08:49I think he's Brentford's answer to Semenyo. He's not as good, but a cheaper option with some potential
08:54that could be moulded in the right hands. He offers a high and wide direct threat in the attacking third,
09:00combines outstanding athleticism with a developing knack for goal contributions, and just overall is
09:05another exciting winger who should be on any given club's radar. So with all that said about Semenyo,
09:10let me know in the comments section where you think he will end up, and don't forget to hit subscribe
09:14while you're there. We've got plenty more interesting comment coming up at 442. Until the next video though,
09:19I'll see you later.
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