Semenyo has won the hearts of City fans and management, including Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola. Antoine Semenyo joined Manchester City on 9 January 2026 from Bournemouth and has been in good form since.

In his debut appearance, he notched a goal and provided an assist during Man City’s FA Cup clash with Exeter City on January 10. He scored again in his second appearance on January 21 in the Premier League clash against Newcastle United. His latest goal came on January 24 in the Premier League clash with Wolves, scoring in the 45+2 minute to make his mark at his new club.

Reacting to his display, Guardiola, following the Wolves game, praised the Ghanaian forward for his energy and productivity since joining the club.

“Absolutely. They are set-up players. Last season, it was young players [who we brought in] except Omar. Semenyo made an incredible impact at Bournemouth. Antoine came with incredible energy, and strikers are about numbers. Since he arrived, he has been unbelievable. [It was an] incredible goal,” Pep said.

Semenyo will be hoping to sustain his strong start in City colours when they face Galatasaray in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday.

Before his move to Man City, he had attracted the attention of several European clubs, including Man Utd, Liverpool and Real Madrid. However, little to no news emerged about his move to Man City, and he eventually moved there.

Addressing these links during an interview with Sky Sports, which aired on October 30, Antoine mentioned that he had seen the reports but denied the purported links, saying he was enjoying his stay at Bournemouth.

“I don’t think about it too much,” he said. “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,” he noted.

Semenyo explained that he was convinced to stay after being encouraged by the club’s vision and summer recruitment.

“When they 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 had 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 brought 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,” he added.

Semenyo has scored six goals and provided three assists in just 10 Premier League matches. According to The Telegraph, AFC Bournemouth reportedly rejected £50 million offers from both Man Utd and Spurs for Semenyo during the summer transfer window.

Antoine’s form has been consistent even during international games. Last season, he scored six goals in nine appearances and provided three assists. His only contender this season has been Man City’s Erling Haaland, who has a higher goal tally than Semenyo.

Despite interest from top European clubs, he decided to stay at the Vitality Stadium, signing a new long-term contract that included a pay rise. His contract with Bournemouth was set to expire in 2026; however, in July, he extended it until 2030.

Meanwhile, the Ghana international was subjected to racist abuse during a clash on Friday, August 15, against Liverpool.

During the first half of the Premier League opener, Semenyo was preparing to take a throw-in when a 47-year-old man made an offensive comment at him. According to reports, Semenyo asked the man to repeat what he said; he did and even threw gum at him.

Semenyo immediately reported the incident to referee Anthony Taylor, who paused the match in the 28th minute. The suspect was subsequently seen leaving the stadium with police and was later held in custody for a racially aggravated public order offence, according to Merseyside Police on Monday.

He was, however, granted bail on the condition that he does not attend any regulated football match in the UK and is prohibited from going within one mile of any designated football stadium. A police investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Reacting to the incident, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, in an official statement issued on Sunday, August 17, said the sport has zero tolerance for discrimination and any form of abuse, praising Antoine’s resilience and strong display despite the emotional distress.

“It is absolutely unacceptable to see the racist abuse aimed at AFC Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, which led to a stoppage of their Premier League match against Liverpool FC at Anfield last night. Football has no place for racism or any form of discrimination. Antoine’s courage and performance on the pitch, despite such adversity, is a powerful example of strength and dignity for players worldwide,” parts of the statement read.