Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo has spoken about his future with the Premier League high-flyers after being a reported target for Liverpool and Manchester United
Bournemouth forward Antonine Semenyo has spoken openly about his future after being linked with moves to Liverpool and Manchester United. The Ghana international is enjoying a stellar start to the season, scoring six goals and registering three assists in nine league appearances.
Semenyo stepped up for Bournemouth last term after Dominic Solanke was sold to Tottenham Hotspur. His performances prompted interest from other Premier League clubs during the summer transfer window, with Semenyo reportedly meeting up with United boss Ruben Amorim at the end of last season.
The Bournemouth forward has also been touted as a future replacement for Mohamed Salah at Liverpool. However, despite seeing several of his Bournemouth team-mates move on, Semenyo chose to extend his contract until 2030.
His new deal is claimed to include a release clause and although the figure is unknown, it is said that the Cherries value Semenyo at £75million. While many players might choose not to discuss their future, Semenyo has admitted he is aware of the transfer speculation surrounding him, but is happy with his decision to stay with Bournemouth in the summer.
"I don't think about it too much," Semenyo told Sky Sports. "I try to stay present as much as I can. 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 team-mates) 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."
There were initial doubts about how Bournemouth would fare this term after losing several key players in the summer. Centre-backs Dean Huijsen and Illia Zabarnyi were sold to Real Madrid and PSG, respectively, while Liverpool signed left-back Milos Kerkez.
Bournemouth also sanctioned Dango Ouattara’s permanent move to Brentford and were forced to find a new goalkeeper after previous Chelsea loanee Kepa Arrizabalaga joined Arsenal. However, Andoni Iraola’s side have seemingly been unfazed by the summer overhaul.
Ahead of the weekend’s fixtures, Bournemouth sit second in the league table with 18 points after nine games. Iraola will be eager for Semenyo and his other players to continue their excellent form as they prepare for a tough clash away at Manchester City on Sunday.