Antoine Selorm Semenyo is a professional footballer born on January 7, 2000, in Chelsea, London, England.

He currently plays as a winger or wide midfielder for Premier League club Manchester City, having joined in January 2026 for a reported fee of £64–£65 million.

Although born in England, Semenyo has a strong connection to his Ghanaian heritage, being a native of Awudome Avenui in the Volta Region of Ghana.

He also represents the Ghana national team, known as the Black Stars.

Current Team: Manchester City (joined January 2026)

National Team: Ghana (the Black Stars)

Height/Weight: 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) / 79 kg

Position: Versatile attacker; primarily a right winger but can also play as a left winger or center-forward.

Playing Style: Semenyo is known for being highly ambidextrous (two-footed), physically powerful, and exceptionally quick.

Club Career

Semenyo’s journey into professional football was not without challenges. He faced rejection during trials with several London clubs, including Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, and Millwall.

At 15, he was also turned down by Crystal Palace after an eight-week trial. After contemplating giving up on his football aspirations, Dave Hockaday encouraged him to join a youth academy program at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College.

His development caught the attention of clubs like Birmingham City, Crystal Palace, and Bristol City, eventually leading him to sign with Bristol City’s academy in 2017.

2025/2026 Season Highlights

As of April 2026, Semenyo has reached a career-best form, equaling records among Ghanaian players in the Premier League.

Career History

1. Early Career: Faced rejections from several London clubs (Arsenal, Tottenham, Crystal Palace) before eventually joining Bristol City’s academy in 2017.

2. Loan Spells: Gained valuable experience with Bath City, Newport County, and Sunderland.

3. Breakthrough: Established himself at Bristol City from 2020 to 2023 before securing a £10 million move to AFC Bournemouth in January 2023.

4. International: Made his debut for Ghana in June 2022, representing the nation at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the 2023 AFCON.

Bristol City

Early Appearances and Loans

Semenyo signed his first professional contract with Bristol City in January 2018, followed by a short-term loan at Bath City, where he scored six goals in 16 appearances. He made his Bristol City debut on the last day of the 2017–2018 season, coming on as a substitute in a loss against Sheffield United.

On July 18, 2018, he joined Newport County on a season-long loan. He made his debut in a defeat to Mansfield Town and later scored his first goal in an EFL Cup match against Cambridge United. During his time at Newport, he shifted from his original striker position to playing on the wing. Notably, he was part of the Newport squad that knocked Premier League Leicester City out of the FA Cup.

After making 32 appearances for Newport, Semenyo was recalled to Bristol City. He debuted in the Championship shortly after and earned the number 18 shirt.

On April 27, 2019, he received his first professional red card in a match against Derby County. Following a series of appearances in the early 2019–2020 season, he was linked with loan moves to Sunderland, Doncaster Rovers, and a return to Newport County. Ultimately, he joined Sunderland on loan, where he made seven appearances.

First Team Breakthrough

Semenyo began the 2020–2021 season impressively, scoring his first goal for Bristol City in an EFL Cup match against Exeter City. He continued to contribute significantly, assisting with goals in consecutive matches. Over the season, he played 50 competitive games, scoring five goals and providing seven assists, earning him the title of Bristol City’s Young Player of the Year on May 10, 2021.

During the 2021–2022 season, Semenyo registered eight goals, further solidifying his status as a key player for the club.

Semenyo began the 2022–2023 season with an impressive start, scoring in a 3–1 victory for his team in the EFL Cup first round against Wycombe Wanderers on 24 August. He continued his scoring streak by netting goals in his first two EFL Championship appearances of the season, against Blackpool on 27 August and Huddersfield Town on 31 August.

In January 2023, Semenyo showcased his talent further by scoring in three consecutive league matches against Coventry City, Birmingham City, and Blackburn Rovers. Additionally, he found the back of the net in an FA Cup third-round tie against Swansea City. His exceptional form caught the attention of several Premier League clubs, including Southampton and Crystal Palace, while Bournemouth made two rejected offers for him.

Bournemouth

On 27 January 2023, Semenyo completed a transfer to Bournemouth for a fee of £10 million, signing a four-and-a-half-year contract. He made his debut for the Cherries in a 1–0 Premier League loss to Brighton and Hove Albion on 4 February. Semenyo's first goal for the club came on 30 April 2023, during a 4–1 home victory over Leeds United.

Continuing his scoring form into the 2023–2024 season, Semenyo scored the opening goal in Bournemouth's first away match against Liverpool at Anfield on 19 August 2023, giving his team a 1–0 lead.

On 28 October, he played a pivotal role by scoring in Bournemouth's first league win of the season, a 2–1 triumph over Burnley, marking their first victory under new manager Andoni Iraola. Semenyo concluded his first full Premier League season with a commendable tally of eight goals and two assists in 33 appearances.

On 8 July 2024, Semenyo signed a new contract with Bournemouth, extending his stay until 2029. He kicked off the 2024–2025 season by scoring an 86th-minute equalizer in a 1–1 draw against Nottingham Forest on 17 August. Two weeks later, he helped secure Bournemouth's comeback win over Everton with the opening goal in a 3–2 victory at Goodison Park.

On 2 November 2024, Semenyo found the net again in a stunning 2–1 win over reigning Premier League champions Manchester City at Dean Court, snapping City's eleven-month unbeaten run in the competition. He added his fifth goal of the season with a strike in a 3–0 victory against Manchester United at Old Trafford on 22 December.

On 25 January 2025, he contributed to a resounding 5–0 win over Nottingham Forest, scoring the fifth goal and extending Bournemouth's unbeaten streak in the Premier League to eleven matches. On 14 April 2025, Semenyo netted his tenth goal of the season, securing a 1–0 win over Fulham and ending a six-match winless streak for the club. His goal came just 53 seconds into the match, making it one of Bournemouth's fastest-ever Premier League goals.

Semenyo capped off the season on 25 May 2025, scoring both goals in a 2–0 victory over Leicester City, finishing with a personal best of eleven Premier League goals. Following this successful season, he signed a contract extension at Bournemouth on 1 July 2025, extending his stay until 2030.

In the opening match of the 2025–2026 Premier League season on 15 August, Semenyo scored two goals against Liverpool, pulling the score to 2–2 after his team had faced a 2–0 deficit. Unfortunately, Bournemouth fell to a 4–2 defeat as Liverpool scored two late goals.

Semenyo continued his strong performance throughout September, netting goals against Brighton and Hove Albion and Leeds United. On 3 October, he scored twice and assisted Justin Kluivert in a 3–1 win over Fulham, bringing his tally to six goals from the opening seven matches.

After a seven-match goal drought, Semenyo scored in a thrilling 4–4 draw with Manchester United on 15 December. He soon added to his tally with goals against Burnley and Brentford in the following matches.

On 7 January 2026, amidst speculation of a move to Manchester City, Semenyo scored a last-minute winner in a 3–2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at Vitality Stadium, ending Bournemouth's eleven-match winless run.

Manchester City

On 9 January 2026, Manchester City announced that Semenyo had joined the club on a five-and-a-half-year contract for a fee of £64 million. Just a day later, he made his debut and left an impression by scoring a goal and providing an assist in a commanding 10–1 victory over Exeter City in the FA Cup.

Semenyo further contributed to City’s success by scoring the opening goal in a 2–0 away win during the first leg of the EFL Cup semi-final against Newcastle United, a tie that ended 5–1 on aggregate in favor of City, securing their spot in the final.

On 24 January 2026, he scored his first Premier League goal for Manchester City in a 2–0 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers. Later, on 22 March, he played a crucial role in Manchester City's 2-0 victory over Arsenal, helping the team claim the 2025-26 EFL Cup.

International Career

Born in England to Ghanaian parents, Semenyo was called up to the Ghana national team on 26 May 2022 and made his debut for the Black Stars in a 3–0 win over Madagascar in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification match on 1 June.

On 14 November 2022, he was included in Ghana's squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, scoring his first international goal during a warm-up match against Switzerland on 17 November. At the tournament, he made two substitute appearances in the group stage against Portugal and Uruguay.

Semenyo's first competitive goal for Ghana came in stoppage time during a qualifier against Angola on 23 March 2023, clinching a 1–0 victory. In January 2024, he was named in Ghana's squad for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, where he started all three group matches, although Ghana was eliminated with two draws and a loss.

Honours

Manchester City

• EFL Cup: 2025–2026

Individual

• Premier League Player of the Month: February 2026

• EFL Championship Player of the Month: January 2022

• Bristol City Young Player of the Year: 2021–2022

• PFA Premier League Fans’ Player of the Month: September 2025.

• SWAG Foreign Footballer of the Year: 2025

Antoine Semenyo: Career Overview

Tenure as a Footballer

Antoine Semenyo has been a professional footballer for approximately 7 years.

He signed his first professional contract with Bristol City in 2018 and made his senior debut that same year, on the final day of the 2017/18 season, after progressing through their youth academy.

His career has evolved through several key phases:

1. Early Professional Years (2018–2020): During this period, Semenyo primarily played on loan at Bath City, Newport County, and Sunderland, gaining valuable experience.

2. Breakthrough Period (2020–2023): He enjoyed a successful stint as a regular starter for Bristol City in the Championship, solidifying his place in the team.

3. Premier League Career (2023–2026): Semenyo transitioned to the Premier League, initially with AFC Bournemouth and currently with Manchester City.

Transfer History

Antoine Semenyo's transfer history highlights a remarkable ascent from non-league football to becoming the most expensive Ghanaian player in history after his record-breaking transfer to Manchester City.

1. Manchester City (January 2026): Manchester City activated a £64 million release clause in his Bournemouth contract. The deal consists of a £62.5 million initial fee plus performance-related bonuses, setting records for both Bournemouth’s largest sale and the highest fee ever paid for a Ghanaian footballer.

2. AFC Bournemouth (January 2023): Semenyo joined Bournemouth in a deal worth £9 million, with an additional £1.5 million in add-ons. Bristol City negotiated a 20% sell-on clause on the profit, reportedly earning them an extra £10.5 million upon his transfer to City in 2026.

3. Youth Struggles: Before achieving success at Bristol City, Semenyo faced setbacks after being rejected following trials at Arsenal, Tottenham, and Crystal Palace.

Current Contract Details at Manchester City (2026 - 2031)

Semenyo's transfer to Manchester City in January 2026 not only established him as the most expensive Ghanaian footballer but also significantly increased his earnings.

His contract details are as follows:

• Weekly Wage: Reported basic salary of £150,000 per week.

• Total Potential Earnings: With performance-related incentives and bonuses, his weekly pay can increase to approximately £187,500–£200,000.

• Annual Salary: Approximately £7.8 million (base salary) up to £9.75 million (with full bonuses).

• Contract Length: 5.5-year deal, securing his position at the Etihad Stadium until June 2031.

• Squad Number: Wears the No. 42 shirt, famously associated with club legend Yaya Touré.

Career Wage Progression

Semenyo's move to Manchester City led to a significant increase in his earnings, underscoring his status as one of the Premier League’s top-performing wingers:

1. Jan 2026 – Present: Manchester City, £150,000+

2. Jul 2025 – Jan 2026: AFC Bournemouth, £100,000

3. Jan 2023 – Jul 2025: AFC Bournemouth, £50,000

Performances for the Black Stars

Antoine Semenyo’s role with the Ghana national team, the Black Stars, has attracted considerable attention. He is recognised as the most prolific Ghanaian forward in Europe, with 18 club goals this season, although his international goals tally is more modest.

As of April 2026:

1. Appearances: 34 caps

2. Goals: 3 goals

3. Major Tournaments: Participated in the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the 2023 AFCON.

Recent Performances (2025–2026)

1. World Cup Qualifiers: Semenyo has been instrumental in Ghana’s qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, prominently scoring in the 2nd minute during a dominant 5-0 victory over Chad in March 2025.

2. Current Form: He has been a vital part of the squad that topped Qualifying Group I, winning 8 out of 10 matches to secure Ghana's fifth World Cup appearance.

3. Scrutiny and Pressure: Despite his significant contributions, Semenyo has expressed that he feels the "intense scrutiny" from fans who expect him to replicate his outstanding Manchester City form, where he scored 15 goals in the Premier League this season, every time he dons the national colors.

Looking Ahead: 2026 FIFA World Cup

Semenyo is anticipated to be a primary attacking threat for the Black Stars in the upcoming tournament, where Ghana has been drawn into Group L and will face:

• Panama (June 17, 2026, in Toronto)

• Croatia

• England

He has recently joined the Black Stars camp in Austria for pre-tournament friendlies against Germany and Austria.

Personal Life

Antoine Semenyo comes from a footballing family; his father, Larry, is a former footballer who played as a midfielder for Okwawu United in the Ghana Premier League.

Semenyo holds Ghanaian and British citizenship and also has French citizenship through his mother.

His younger brother, Jai, is also a professional footballer, currently playing for Championnat National 2 side FC Lorient B.

On November 18, 2025, Semenyo proposed to his long-time girlfriend, Jordeen Buckley.

As it stands now, he is not currently married and has no children, but he is in a serious relationship with his long-time girlfriend.

www.ghanaweb.com