Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola has made it clear he would prefer to keep Antoine Semenyo at the club, even as transfer speculation around the Ghanaian forward continues to intensify.
The 25-year-old winger has been strongly linked with Premier League heavyweights Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool.
Recent reports have also suggested Chelsea have made enquiries about a possible January move for the former Bristol City attacker.
Addressing the rumours, Iraola admitted the situation surrounding Semenyo’s future is largely beyond his control.
“Antoine Semenyo right now is with us. He’s playing very well. My concern is that it doesn’t affect him,” the Bournemouth boss said.
“He’s played very well, he’s committed to the team and and I hope we can keep him. There are things happening out of our control.”
Iraola further praised the forward’s consistency, adding: “Antoine, for me, has been performing very well. The level of consistency has been very good since the beginning of the season.”
“He’s very valuable for us – not just the numbers, but a lot of things.”
The Spanish coach also acknowledged the uncertainty of the transfer market, noting: “You never know what is going to happen… I hope we don’t lose him, but I don’t know, I can’t control what’s going to happen.”
Semenyo, who recently signed a contract running until 2030, has been one of Bournemouth’s standout players this season, recording eight goals and three assists in 16 Premier League outings, with a reported £65 million release clause active in January.
