Manchester City assistant coach Pep Lijnders has showered praise on Ghana forward Antoine Semenyo after the attacker capped a stunning debut with a goal and an assist in City’s crushing 10-1 FA Cup victory over Exeter City on Saturday.
Semenyo, who completed a £65 million move from AFC Bournemouth just a day earlier, was handed an immediate start and impressed in his 64-minute outing at the Etihad Stadium.
The Black Stars forward set up Rico Lewis in the 49th minute before marking his debut in style five minutes later, calmly finishing off an assist from Rayan Cherki to underline a commanding team performance.
Speaking after the match, Lijnders revealed City’s long-standing admiration for the 25-year-old and highlighted the qualities that convinced the club to move swiftly for his signature.
“We followed him — Antoine Semenyo — for a long time, and he brings something to the front line we need,” Lijnders said.
“He wants to chase, he doesn’t stop. He can adapt quickly to our style, so it’s nice to have him with us.”
Semenyo’s seamless transition into Pep Guardiola’s setup reinforced why the Premier League champions moved decisively to activate his release clause, handing him a five-and-a-half-year contract that runs until 2031.
The London-born Ghanaian, who began his professional career at Bristol City before loan spells at Bath City, Newport County and Sunderland, rose to prominence following his move to Bournemouth midway through the 2022/23 season.
During his time with the Cherries, Semenyo made 110 appearances across all competitions, scoring 32 goals and providing 13 assists, while contributing 10 league goals and three assists this season alone.
After an explosive start in sky blue, Semenyo will now look to build on his momentum as Manchester City chase silverware on multiple fronts.
