Ex-Sunderland loanee Antoine Semenyo has a release clause as top clubs weigh up £75million move...
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Former Sunderland loanee Antoine Semenyo is once again attracting major Premier League attention – and talkSPORT now claims the Bournemouth forward has a release clause written into his current contract.
The 25-year-old Ghana international has enjoyed a blistering start to the campaign, directly contributing to nine Premier League goals so far. Only Manchester City’s Erling Haaland has been involved in more.
According to reports, Bournemouth inserted a release clause into Semenyo’s new deal last summer to protect their position amid growing interest from England’s biggest clubs. The exact value of the clause remains confidential, though the Cherries are understood to value their star man at more than £75million.
Semenyo signed a five-year contract extension at the Vitality Stadium earlier this year, despite holding talks with Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United and being monitored by Liverpool. Bournemouth’s hierarchy were said to be realistic about his trajectory, recognising that including a clause would help secure his commitment while providing flexibility should an elite club come calling.
The former Sunderland loanee has been a revelation on the south coast, scoring 13 goals and assisting seven more across all competitions last season as Bournemouth recorded their best-ever Premier League points total and equalled their highest finish of ninth place.
Born in London, Semenyo began his career at Bristol City before joining Sunderland on loan in January 2020 as a raw 19-year-old. Then, under Phil Parkinson, the Black Cats brought him in to boost their League One promotion bid, but he made just seven appearances before the season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic. Five years on, Semenyo’s career has taken off in spectacular fashion. With several top-flight giants circling, Bournemouth now face a battle to keep hold of one of the Premier League’s most in-form forwards.
Sunderland hit with fresh injury concern ahead of Wolves
Sunderland have been hit with a fresh injury concern after Omar Alderete was forced off late in Paraguay’s friendly defeat to South Korea on Tuesday.
The defender was substituted in the 81st minute of the 2–0 loss, with ESPN’s live feed noting that he appeared to pick up a knock. Subsequent reports in Paraguay suggested the 28-year-old was struggling with muscle discomfort, though the full extent of the problem remains unclear.
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Sunderland will hope Alderete’s withdrawal was purely precautionary. The centre-back has been outstanding since arriving from La Liga side Getafe in the summer and has quickly become one of Régis Le Bris’ most reliable performers. His presence will be vital when the Black Cats return to Premier League action against Wolves on Saturday.
Alderete is expected to undergo assessment at the Academy of Light upon his return to Wearside in the coming days. Should he be deemed unfit to feature, Dan Ballard is likely to step back into the starting XI – though at this stage, Sunderland remain optimistic that Alderete’s issue is minor.