Ghana forward Antoine Semenyo says Pep Guardiola’s pledge to make him a better player was central to his decision to join Manchester City in a £65m move from Bournemouth, despite interest from five Premier League clubs.
The 26-year-old completed his transfer during the January window after Manchester City won the race for his signature ahead of Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea.
Semenyo said City first made contact in December, with discussions taking place before he agreed to move to the Etihad Stadium the following month. He told the BBC that Guardiola’s vision for his development helped make the choice straightforward.
“I think for me, I just wanted the next step to be the big one and Manchester City was the option. Pep spoke to me beforehand, and he said, ‘look, when you come, I am going to make you a better player.’
“You want to get better, you want to improve every season, and he definitely helped me with that in the first five months, but obviously sad for him to leave,” he added.
Guardiola has since departed Manchester City, but Semenyo believes the former manager still had a significant influence on his progress during their brief period working together. The Ghana international won two domestic trophies under Guardiola before Enzo Maresca was appointed head coach.
Semenyo has continued to make a positive impression under Maresca. He supplied an assist in Manchester City’s pre-season defeat by Inter Milan in Hong Kong on Saturday as the club stepped up preparations for the new campaign.
The transfer represented a major milestone in Semenyo’s rise since joining Bournemouth. The attacker credited the south coast club with helping him establish himself in the Premier League and develop into one of the division’s most in-demand forwards.
“I owe them everything, to be honest,” Semenyo said. “They helped my Premier League career flourish and obviously the management, the staff behind the scenes, they were all amazing; they made everything so smooth.”
Semenyo’s form had reached its peak before his move, with the forward scoring 21 goals for club and country during the best season of his career. He also played an important part in Manchester City’s success in domestic competitions.
He scored the winning goal in the FA Cup final against Chelsea, a moment he described as a “dream come true”, and helped City claim the Carabao Cup as well.
His performances for Bournemouth had attracted widespread attention, but the opportunity to work under Guardiola and continue improving at Manchester City ultimately outweighed the approaches from their Premier League rivals.
While Guardiola’s departure brought an emotional end to their time together, Semenyo’s early contribution under Maresca suggests he remains an important part of Manchester City’s plans. The Ghana forward is now continuing his preparations for the new season after making an immediate impact in the club’s pre-season programme.
