Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo to play against Arsenal amid transfer interest from Man City

By Canadian Press on January 2, 2026.

BOURNEMOUTH, England (AP) — Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo is expected to play against Arsenal on Saturday despite reports linking him to an imminent transfer to Manchester City.

“Antoine is going to play, yes,” Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola said Friday at a press conference.

The Ghana international is third on the Premier League’s scoring chart this season — his nine goals trailing only Erling Haaland (19) and Brentford’s Igor Thiago (11).

The Cherries host Arsenal and then Tottenham in midweek.

“The idea at least (is) that he is going to be available in these two home games,” Iraola said. “I hope he can be here more time but I don’t know what’s going to happen.”

Iraola didn’t dispute the reports that a move is close.

“There is nothing signed,” he said. “For sure there are conversations. I understand a lot of the noise around, but there is nothing signed. Antoine is our player.”

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The Associated Press

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