'He's ready to take on the world' - Antoine Semenyo's coach says Bournemouth star is good enough for Real Madrid or Barcelona amid talk of £65m transfer to Man City

Semenyo was wanted by Premier League pair Manchester United and Tottenham over the summer, but the duo opted to follow up their respective interest in Bryan Mbeumo and Mohammed Kudus. The 25-year-old Bournemouth forward, meanwhile, signed a five-year deal on the south coast side to tie him down to the Cherries until 2030.

However, the contract contained a £65m release that is active next month until January 10th to give Bournemouth time to secure a replacement for their prized asset in the New Year. Semenyo has made a fine start to the Premier League season having scored eight goals and laid on an additional three assists for Andoni Iraola's side.

That form attracted interest from Premier League giants Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea, while United and Spurs were also briefly in the running for the Ghanaian. It does look as though City will win the £65m race for Semenyo, with the Cityzens expected to firm up their interest in the Bournemouth sensation in the coming days.

Semenyo's personal coach, Saul Isaksson-Hurst, believes the player 'could play for any team in the world' as he gears up to secure a high-profile January switch.

Isaksson-Hurst singled out Real Madrid and Barcelona as the calibre of teams that Semenyo could play for as he lavished praise upon the Premier League star. "Antoine could play wherever he likes," Isaksson-Hurst said, per Hayters.

"He could play for Real Madrid, he could play for Barcelona, he could play for any team in the world. He’s that good, he’s sensational. He’s ready to take on the world. He could play for literally any one of the top clubs, wherever he wants to go. Everyone would want him as well. He’s a sensational player with a great mentality. He’s got everything."

Ghana's failure to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations means Semenyo is free to play for across the festive period. And despite a blistering start to the season, Isaksson-Hurst believes Semenyo's campaign is just getting started.

"It’s a big year for him, you know, there’s been a lot of talk about maybe moving and stuff like that. He’s not going to take his hand off the brake, you know, he’s going to go full throttle, because he wants to obviously help Bournemouth and be one of the best players in the league. That’s a priority."

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City boss Pep Guardiola is a confirmed fan of Semenyo having praised the player earlier in the season before transfer talk intensified. "He's an extraordinary, extraordinary, extraordinary player," the Spaniard said of the winger.

"His energy, his confidence, his movement - unbelievable. He doesn't stop running, he attacks space so well, and when he has the ball, you feel something will happen. He's improving every game. Players like him make this league special - always hungry, always brave."

Former goalkeeper Rob Green also looked into why City want Semenyo, telling BBC 5 Live: "He can drive forward with the ball vertically, rather than Doku who comes in and out.

"He can do that something different Pep is looking for. Short term they have their own injury problems, with Oscar Bobb out, Doku out, Marmoush away [at the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt], so he can help short term and long term."

Green did raise concerns over Savinho's future at the Etihad Stadium, however, adding: "It does raise the question what future someone like Savinho has though."

City will have to wait until the transfer window opens next week before they can register Semenyo should they, as expected, sign the winger from Bournemouth. The Cityzens return to league duties at home against Nottingham Forest this weekend before a trip to Sunderland to ring in the New Year.

The Premier League title contenders then follow up their game at the Stadium of Light with back-to-back home fixtures against Brighton and Chelsea in what is expected to be a hectic start to the year for City.