Manchester United are at the head of the queue to sign highly-rated Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo in the summer transfer window, according to a report.
The 25-year-old struck his eighth goal of the Premier League season in the Cherries' last outing, propelling Andoni Iraola's men to a 1-0 triumph over Fulham at Craven Cottage.
Semenyo's first-minute strike also saw him join an exclusive ambipedal club, as he is just one of four Premier League players to score eight goals with both his right and left foot since the start of last season.
Only Crystal Palace's Jean-Philippe Mateta, Nottingham Forest's Chris Wood and Brentford's Yoane Wissa have also managed that feat, and Semenyo's achievements have helped Bournemouth force their way into European contention this term.
However, even if Iraola's men can earn a spot on the continent for the 2025-26 season, they could be inundated with offers for the effervescent Ghanaian, whose contract runs until 2029.
Man United 'believed' to be at head of Semenyo queue
© Imago
According to Sky Sports News, Man United are currently considered the number one contenders for the attacker's signature this summer, as head coach Ruben Amorim is a 'big admirer' of his qualities.
The Portuguese plays with two number 10s behind the striker as opposed to out-and-out wingers, but Semenyo is adept at drifting inside and carving out opportunities, as he proved with his winner against Fulham.
Amorim is therefore confident that he could find a way to fit Semenyo into his system next season, but Man United will have to beat away as many as four of their Big Six rivals to win the race.
Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and Chelsea are also rumoured to have been running the rule over Semenyo, while Arsenal are the only Big Six side not to show any signs of interest yet.
However, interested parties can expect to be quoted a whopping £70m for the 25-year-old, whose record for the Cherries reads 19 goals and nine assists from 83 outings across all competitions.
The attacking state of play at Man United
© Imago
The fact that Bournemouth are demanding £70m for Semenyo spells bad news for Man United, whose co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has allegedly vetoed a move for Viktor Gyokeres due to his £80m price tag.
The Red Devils will earn little cash from their Premier League position, but they could still have their coffers boosted by Europa League stardom - and thus Champions League qualification - as well as inevitable sales.
Semenyo would be able to directly replace at least one of Antony, Jadon Sancho or Marcus Rashford, none of whom are expected to reignite their Old Trafford careers if their loan moves are not converted into permanent deals.
Real Betis would love to keep Antony for good, but finances could be an issue, while Aston Villa are not believed to have made a final decision on whether to trigger Rashford's £40m clause.
Meanwhile, Chelsea's loan agreement for Sancho does include an obligation to buy, but the Blues can supposedly break that accord and pay a £5m penalty fee to send him back to Manchester.
Ben Knapton
