Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo

 

With Thomas Frank set to be confirmed as new Tottenham boss, attention turns to potential incomings. While Spurs finished 17th, Europa League triumph and a return to the Champions League will attract new signings. Factor in the club’s facilities and the chance to work under manager of Frank’s stature, and the club shouldn’t have wholesale problems in attracting the right names to play for Spurs. 

 

Even so, there needs to be a shift in priorities in the market. Spurs can ill-afford to focus on potential, and must instead prioritise experience to ensure the north London side are able to compete on multiple fronts next season. Amidst rumours that Spurs are targeting players between the ages of 23 and 29, this is a step in the right direction. 

 

 

And one of those reported targets for Spurs is Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo. The Ghana international enjoyed a wonderful campaign for the Cherries, stepping out of the Dominic Solanke-sized shadow on the south coast to finish the season with 11 goals and five assists as Andoni Iraola guided Bournemouth to ninth. 

 

Bournemouth’s stand out campaign does come with its own issues, however. Dean Huijsen has already left for Real Madrid, while Milos Kerkez is set to move to Liverpool. Illia Zabarnyi is wanted by Champions League winners PSG, while Spurs are not the only side interested in Semeyo, with Manchester United and the Reds believed to also be keen on the 25-year-old. 

 

Links with moves to the Premier League and Europa League champions, and a switch to Old Trafford, aren’t without merit either. Indeed, Semenyo earned a WhoScored rating of 7.20 was second to Luis Diaz (7.21) of left wingers in the Premier League last season, the Reds winger supposedly on Barcelona’s radar this summer. 

 

Semenyo routinely utilised his speed down the flanks to get the better of a marker, evident in that he finished the season third for successful dribbles (69). The explosiveness to his game combined with his two-footedness added to the Bournemouth star’s unpredictability, and is a desirable trait for interested parties. 

 

While this really would suit Liverpool and Frank’s Spurs, the Dane expected to continue with a tried-and-tested 4-2-3-1 system at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Semenyo’s versatility across the frontline means interest from United shouldn’t come as a shock. Even with the signings of Matheus Cunha and interest in Bryan Mbeumo and Viktor Gyokeres, United’s attack is one that needs investment after a goalshy domestic campaign, and Semenyo would slot in well, either as the lead striker or in one of the two number 10 roles in Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system. 

 

Crucially, Semenyo isn’t one afraid to get his chances off. One of the main issues for both United and Spurs in particular is that they didn’t shoot frequently enough to test opposition goalkeepers with the pair ranking seventh (13.9) and 11th (13.1), respectively, for shots per game in the Premier League last season. Semenyo, though, finished the campaign third for total shots (125), of which 108 were from open play, that second to Mohamed Salah (112). 

 

In addition, Semenyo is a hard-worker off the ball, and was key as Iraola implemented a high-pressing approach to force quick transitions in dangerous areas. Bournemouth, after all, won possession in the attacking third more times (216) than any other team in England’s top tier last term. This was a metric led by Semenyo (37) of all players in the division. 

 

 

It would, however, take a significant bid for Bournemouth to consider selling one of their prized attack stars, but the lure of Champions League football may just be enough for Semenyo to consider his future on the south coast. Spurs are in need of investment on the left flank this summer given Son Heung-Min’s sub-par displays and Richarlison’s injury concerns. Mathys Tel remains another option to occupy the role, yet at the time of writing; he’s set to return to Munich at the culmination of his loan spell even if reports of a permanent switch continue to do the rounds. 

 

A hard-working, explosive forward who is capable with either foot and strong in the air, it’s no wonder that Semenyo has high-profile Premier League suitors.

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