Manchester City reportedly planning a sensational January move for a signing that could potentially bring them closer to Arsenal in the Premier League title race. The club is considering triggering the £65 million release clause for Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo, who has emerged as one of the hottest properties in the league.
Pep Guardiola's side managed to reduce their distance from Arsenal to four points following a late win over Leeds United. Phil Foden's stunning second goal during stoppage time secured a 3-2 victory for Man City. However, under Mikel Arteta's leadership, Arsenal has been performing exceptionally well this season and seems poised to break their three-season streak of finishing second.
Over the past year, Man City has been rebuilding its team with new additions such as Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez, Abdukodir Khusanov, Rayan Cherki, Gianluigi Donnaruma, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Tijjani Reijnders and James Trafford.
Potential game-changer
Despite these additions and recent victories though there still exists an urge within Man City to further strengthen their squad mid-season. This desire has led them towards Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo.
Semenyo is an academy product of Bristol City and his performance this season - six goals and three assists in just 12 appearances - have made him highly sought after by several clubs. There are speculations that his arrival at Manchester could be exactly what they need to compete effectively against Arsenal.
The 25-year-old forward brings versatility on board; he can play on either flank or take up a central role while being adept with both feet. His impressive goal-scoring ability could also help ease pressure off Erling Haaland who currently shoulders most of Man City's goal-scoring responsibilities.
Current squad scenario
While Jeremy Doku has shown significant improvement, fellow wingers Oscar Bobb and Savinho have been less impressive. Savinho, in particular, has scored only once in 15 appearances despite being the subject of a £60 million offer from Spurs in the summer.
Omar Marmoush is also expected to be absent for a considerable period due to his commitment with Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations tournament. However, Semenyo will likely be available to play as Ghana did not qualify for the tournament this year.
While Manchester City is yet to fully commit to triggering Semenyo's release clause, there is a growing belief that his addition could provide them with the necessary firepower they need to challenge Arsenal for the Premier League title.
