Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with a move for Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo ahead of the January transdfer window
Antoine Semenyo has been linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur and already has a strong relationship with one of his potential new teammates. The Bournemouth star is reportedly attracting plenty of attention ahead of the January transfer window.
Semenyo initially emerged as a target for Spurs during the summer, with Manchester United and Liverpool also interested in the forward. It was reported that Bournemouth placed a £70million valuation on Semenyo during the most recent window.
The 25-year-old ultimately signed a new contract until 2030 and has registered nine goal contributions in 11 league games for the Cherries so far this term. Meanwhile, Spurs chose to bolster their attack with a £55m deal for Mohammed Kudus, who is a player Semenyo already knows well.
Semenyo received his first Ghana call-up in May 2022 and has shared the pitch with Kudus during 25 of his 32 appearances. The Bournemouth star demonstrated their bond during the September international break, with Semenyo teasing Kudus over Spurs’ 1-0 home defeat to Andoni Iraola’s side.
In a video posted on social media, Semenyo said: "Kuku, my boy, how was the game on Saturday? Let me go ask him how the game was."
After walking over to Kudus, Semenyo continued: "How was the game on Saturday, bro?" A surprised Kudus replied: "It was good." The end of the clip saw a laughing Semenyo jog away, repeating the 1-0 scoreline.
The Athletic has reported that Semenyo’s new contract includes a £65m release clause, leading to increased speculation over his future ahead of the January window. It is claimed that interested teams will need to activate that clause by a specific date to allow Bournemouth enough time to recruit a replacement.
The release clause will also remain in his contract for subsequent transfer windows. Bournemouth sold several of their key players in the summer, including defenders Dean Huijsen and Milos Kerkez.
While Semenyo could be another high-profile sale in the near future, the Ghana international has insisted that he will not let speculation impact his performances. In an interview with Sky Sports earlier this month, Semenyo reiterated his commitment to Bournemouth.
"I don't think about it too much. I try to stay present as much as I can,” he said. “You see the news all the time, I see it as well, I'm not oblivious, but I try to keep focused.
"I'm enjoying my football here. If I'm not scoring goals, all of that goes away. I try to stay present, do the best I can for the team, score goals and whatever happens in the future happens.
"When they [his former teammates] all left [in the summer], there was a lot of interest and back and forth with the club. But I knew in my head that the manager's got something up his sleeve this year.
"How we finished off the season last year was so good and we could continue, especially with the players we've bought in as well. I wasn't too sure at the start but we've kicked on like a house on fire. I'm glad I committed to staying here because I'm enjoying every moment."