Antoine Semenyo’s ascent from Championship rough diamond to Premier League problem-solver has reached its inevitable next chapter: the race for his signature. With the January 2026 window approaching, the AFC Bournemouth forward has drawn sustained interest from Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham — a trio that seldom chase the same profile unless the underlying data and on-pitch evidence are impossible to ignore.

The 25-year-old Ghanaian international has already put six league goals on the board this season, trailing only Erling Haaland (14) and Igor Thiago (8). Factor in a track record of troubling the league’s elite — including strikes against Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea, and three against Liverpool — and it’s clear why Europe’s most sophisticated recruitment teams are circling.

Why Semenyo’s stock is surging

Semenyo is a striker-wide hybrid who runs at defenders with purpose, powers through contact, and finishes with a cleaner edge than when he arrived from Bristol City in January 2023. The raw tools were never in doubt; the added polish and productivity are what have altered his market.

• Premier League career: 92 games, 26 goals, 12 assists
• 2025–26: 6 league goals (third in the Golden Boot race as of November)
• 2024–25: 11 league goals, 5 assists
• Notable returns: 3 vs Liverpool; 5 vs Fulham; goals vs Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea

What scouts like, beyond the numbers, is the repeatability: the pace to attack space, the power to ride challenges, and enough guile to create his own shot under pressure. He’s earned these numbers the hard way, against proper opponents, in a system that doesn’t artificially inflate shot volume.

“Is Semenyo the Salah stop-gap or a long-term starter for a contender?”

Clause chess: the January window that will decide it

The wrinkle shaping this pursuit is contractual. Semenyo signed a new five-year deal in the summer of 2025 that contains a release mechanism: a £65 million figure (£60m plus £5m in add-ons) that becomes active during a specific window in January 2026, then drops in the summer. That structure signals a negotiated exit path — he likely wouldn’t have committed long-term without it — and it puts pressure on suitors to move decisively this winter.

Bournemouth’s internal valuation sits north of £75m, but the presence of that clause is the hard ceiling on their leverage in January if activated. It also explains the club’s openness to a sale: this is a market opportunity as much as it is a sporting decision. Wait past the winter window, and the price could become even more tempting for the buyer.

“£65m for a late bloomer — premium or pre-peak bargain?”

Liverpool’s angle: AFCON realities and familiar faces

Liverpool’s interest is pragmatic as well as opportunistic. Mohamed Salah is due to depart for the Africa Cup of Nations (December 21, 2025 – January 18, 2026), creating a high-stakes gap on the right-hand side just as fixtures intensify. Semenyo’s availability is a key differentiator here: Ghana failed to qualify for the 2025 AFCON, meaning he would remain eligible throughout the period when other African forwards could be absent.

There’s also institutional familiarity. Liverpool’s sporting director Richard Hughes previously signed Semenyo at Bournemouth, and the Anfield recruitment department now features ex-Cherries scouts Mark Burchill and Craig McKee. Those shared touchpoints matter; they compress due diligence timelines and reduce risk on character, training habits and adaptability. For a winter move, that continuity is a competitive advantage.

City and Spurs: role fits and tactical upside

For Manchester City, Semenyo profiles as a versatile depth-raiser who can operate wide or centrally, drive transitions, and press from the front. He offers a different physical profile to the technicians that typically populate City’s forward line, adding directness without sacrificing Premier League-proven end product.

Tottenham’s case is equally clear: they have leaned into verticality and pace in attack, and Semenyo would slot into a system that rewards aggressive ball-carrying and early box entries. He doesn’t need to be the primary shot-taker to add value; his threat changes defensive shapes and creates lanes for others.

What Bournemouth must weigh

Bournemouth have been a sensible seller when the terms are right, and this is no different. They value Semenyo at over £75m on performance trajectory, Premier League scarcity, and the reality that he scores against top-six opponents. Yet the release clause narrows the calculus in January.

Another relevant piece: Bristol City, who sold Semenyo to Bournemouth for around £10m in January 2023, are entitled to 20% of any profit. That clause chisels into Bournemouth’s net returns and is one reason why they’d prefer a number above the clause if dealing outside its activation window. But should a contender simply trigger the £65m clause, Bournemouth’s room to maneuver will be limited.

“If a giant meets the clause, how long can the Cherries hold the line?”

The player profile clubs crave

Beyond goals and clauses, Semenyo’s appeal is archetypal. He brings pace to stretch deep blocks, power to survive the duels elite games demand, and a willingness to shoot when the moment appears. He’s shown he can translate Championship potential into Premier League output — a hurdle that often trips up signings in this price band.

He also tilts big matches. Those goals against Liverpool, City, United and Chelsea are not footnotes; they’re signals that the stage doesn’t shrink his game. For clubs aiming to win titles or qualify for the Champions League, that matters more than padding hauls against teams already beaten.

What happens next

Expect a quiet escalation through November and December: monitoring becomes engagement, engagement becomes scenario-planning, and by early January the release window forces choices. If a club believes Semenyo is a starter now or a near-term starter with upside, £65m in this market is purposeful money. If not, the summer’s reduced clause invites a broader auction.

For Liverpool, the AFCON calendar and existing relationships make a winter strike logical. For City and Spurs, the calculus will hinge on squad needs and how they value a mid-season disruptor versus a summer-integrated signing. For Bournemouth, this is the classic Premier League mid-table dilemma: sell at the top of the curve and reinvest, or hold a match-winner for the run-in and risk the summer discount.

Either way, Semenyo has earned this moment. From Bristol City’s prospect to Bournemouth’s battering ram, he’s become the forward every analyst circles when building a January shortlist. If the clause is the door, his performances have provided the key — and the league’s biggest clubs are already reaching for the handle.