Antoine Semenyo has become one of the Premier League’s most coveted strikers in recent seasons.
The 25-year-old Bournemouth star is the Cherries’ most valuable asset and has also developed into their most potent attacking threat.
Semenyo scored 28 goals in just over 100 appearances for the club, but his stats don’t tell the whole story.
His assist tally stands at 13 in the same number of games, but his overall play has been impressive under Andoni Iraola, with the manager using him as a versatile striker.
Semenyo has played in various positions on the pitch, including in the middle and on either side of a three-way front line.
For many clubs representing a valuable star, but with five years left on his current contract at the Vitality Stadium, any side wanting to take him away from the club will have to step up.
Liverpool have been mentioned as potential suitors for the Ghana international, while Newcastle United, FootballBlog revealed earlier in the summer transfer window, are also enthusiastic admirers.
Antoine Semenyo to Manchester United could suit both parties
However, it is Manchester United who are expected to have the most concrete interest in the player ahead of the January window, while they could also wait until next summer depending on Ruben Amorim’s success rate this season.
Semenyo would cost a fixed fee of around £65 million to land in the winter, but United appear unwilling to spend much on the player unless absolutely necessary.
According to reports in the EmphaticInstead, the Red Devils are considering a move from a bygone era in football, which would be a possible swap deal to get their man.
The likes of Mason Mount, Joshua Zirkzee and Wantaway United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo have been mentioned as possible makeweights alongside some sort of compensation for Semenyo.
All three players have had different levels of play this season.
Mount has managed just nine appearances in all competitions, totaling 380 minutes. That meant one goal against Sunderland and an assist in the Carabao Cup against Grimsby Town.
For striker Zirkzee it was considerably less than that, with just 90 minutes in total in all competitions from five games. He is yet to find the back of the net this season, with big money man Benjamin Sesko ahead of him in the pecking order, as well as Bryan Mbuemo and Matheus Cunha.
Mainoo in the engine room has featured eight times following a summer request from manager Amorim, with 228 minutes on the pitch from eight games so far.
All three would be realistic exits to accommodate Semenyo, but what would the latter offer in return?
As mentioned, Semenyo’s goal stats are half decent for a player expected to play in multiple positions.
In Premier League games alone, the Cherry made 92 appearances and his numbers don’t lie.
Out of the top 92 players alone – not counting cup matches – Semenyo has 26 goals and 10 assists, but he also creates chances for his teammates and involves others in the game.
His expected goals (xG) are also significant.
Across the full number of matches, Semenyo’s xG stands at 26.66 combined. This season his stats have risen to 5.32 after just eleven games in which he found the net six times.
Over the stretch, he averaged just over three shots per game and 0.36 goals per game.
Semenyo Bournemouth stats vs Sesko at United
Compared to £74m Sesko, the Bournemouth man has a much better average across all stats.
Sesko has an xG total at United of 3.78 from 11 games, while his average shots per game is 2.83.
He has two Premier League goals from 11, taking his goals per game percentage to 0.55.
Semenyo may not always be suited to be the lone shooter at the top, but he has the ability.
And with Cunha on one side and Mbuemo on the other, the striker could go from strength to strength at the Theater of Dreams should the club approve a move to land him.
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