Bournemouth winger, Antoine Semenyo, has a £65m release clause in his contract that can be activated during the first two weeks of the January transfer window. This information was revealed by BBC Sport and could potentially change the dynamics of Bournemouth's team structure.
The Ghana international has been on the radar of several top-tier clubs including Manchester United and Tottenham. Despite this interest, the 25-year-old chose to sign a new five-year deal at Vitality Stadium on 1 July. However, it was later discovered that his new contract contains a release clause of £65m which can be triggered in early January.
This strategic move allows Bournemouth enough time to find a suitable replacement for their star player if he were to leave during the winter transfer window. The window opens on Thursday, 1 January 2026 for Premier League and English Football League (EFL) clubs and closes at 19:00 GMT on Monday, 2 February.
Semenyo’s stellar performance
Semenyo has been showcasing excellent form in the Premier League this season with six goals and three assists in just eleven appearances for Andoni Iraola's side. Last season he hit double figures for the first time in his career - scoring an impressive total of eleven goals in league matches and thirteen across all competitions.
Born in London but qualifying for Ghana through his father, Semenyo faced rejection from Arsenal, Spurs and Millwall as a youngster before joining SGS College’s football programme run by former Leeds manager Dave Hockaday.
Journey through the ranks
Bristol City signed him up back in 2017 but it took loan spells at Bath City FC, Newport County AFC and Sunderland AFC before breaking into Bristol City’s first team during the 2020-21 season. In January 2023, he made a £10m move to Bournemouth and has been improving ever since.
Semenyo's goals were instrumental in helping Bournemouth finish ninth last season. However, the club sold three of their back four - Illia Zabarnyi, Milos Kerkez and Dean Huijsen - for almost £150m during the summer. They also failed to make goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga's loan move from Chelsea permanent, with the Spaniard joining Arsenal instead.
Despite these changes, keeping hold of Semenyo has proved vital for the club this season. His performance on the field continues to be a significant factor in Bournemouth’s success. With his release clause now public knowledge, it will be interesting to see how things unfold during the upcoming winter transfer window.
