Ghana forward Antoine Semenyo is expected to miss about eight weeks after sustaining a knee injury during Manchester City’s 3-2 win over Ipswich Town, potentially ruling him out of the Black Stars’ November double-header against Somalia.
The 26-year-old is facing an extended period out after medical assessments, with Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca suggesting the injury was more serious than initially feared. Semenyo is now aiming to return in December, although no firm date has been set.
Semenyo was introduced as a 77th-minute substitute for Jeremy Doku against Ipswich Town. He appeared to be in significant discomfort after the injury and went directly down the tunnel when the final whistle was blown.
Scans later indicated that he could be unavailable for up to two months. The setback comes during a particularly demanding period for Manchester City, who are competing in the Premier League, UEFA Champions League and EFL Cup.
The winger has made a positive start since joining Manchester City from Bournemouth, scoring two goals and providing three assists in nine appearances in all competitions. His absence will remove one of the club’s attacking options for a significant run of fixtures.
Semenyo is expected to miss the Champions League match against AEK Athens on 20 October, the Premier League trip to Aston Villa on 24 October and the EFL Cup round-of-16 tie against Brighton on 28 October.
He could also be unavailable for league matches against Brighton, Nottingham Forest, Fulham and Arsenal, along with Champions League fixtures against RB Leipzig and Napoli.
Manchester City’s schedule in December includes Premier League matches against Leeds United and Brentford, as well as a European meeting with Barcelona. Those games may also fall within Semenyo’s recovery period, depending on how his rehabilitation progresses.
The injury is also a concern for Ghana, who are bottom of Group C in the 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign. The Black Stars face an important double-header during the November international window, which runs from 10-18 November.
Semenyo’s absence would deprive Ghana of one of their most dynamic attacking players at a crucial stage of their qualification campaign. His pace and attacking output have made him an important option for the national team, leaving the technical team to consider alternatives in attack.
The forward is expected to be recovering during the November window, meaning Ghana will have to prepare for the qualifiers without relying on his availability. His progress will be monitored ahead of a possible return in December.
The setback follows an encouraging opening to his Manchester City career, with his two goals and three assists in nine appearances underlining his contribution since arriving from Bournemouth. Both club and country must now wait for his rehabilitation to determine when he can return to competitive football.