WILL IT HAPPEN FAST: UNITED MOVES QUICKLY TO SEAL ANTOINE SEMENYO WISH FOR JANUARY START
Man United could offer Antoine Semenyo his favoured No. 24 shirt in a bid to sign the Bournemouth star. The in-form winger has a £65m release clause, but Liverpool and Man City are also interested.
Manchester United might let Antoine Semenyo have his favourite No. 24 jersey as they try to get the Bournemouth attacker to come to Old Trafford in January. Word is the Red Devils want to get the Ghana player from the south coast this winter and may have an advantage over other teams interested in him.
Semenyo, who is 25, has scored six times and assisted with three goals in only 11 Premier League games this season. Because of this, he is being talked about more and more as possibly moving to the Red Devils in the middle of the season, and knowing he could get his usual jersey might help in talks.
The No. 24 jersey is now being worn by goalie Andre Onana, who is playing for Trabzonspor until the season ends. But United might be okay with letting Semenyo have it.
This small thing could be very important in their attempt to get one of the most wanted players in the Premier League right now. Onana's time at United doesn't look good after some mistakes hurt his reputation, and Senne Lammens' success has made his spot even less secure.
The player they got from Royal Antwerp in the summer has been a great addition to United so far. So much so that Onana, who cost £43.4 million when he joined back up with Erik ten Hag, who used to be at Ajax, in 2023, already seems unnecessary.
After it came out that the player has a £65m release clause in his Bournemouth contract, there has been a lot of talk about Semenyo being available in January. The winger signed a new deal on the south coast this summer, but it's believed he only signed it understanding that the Cherries would put in a release clause.
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That's enough to suggest that Semenyo, who has said before that he would rather join Arsenal, would be willing to move if the right chance comes up. And the £65m price is pretty realistic for the teams that spend the most in England's top league. However, some may argue that relying heavily on targeted ads can lead to a lack of privacy and a sense of being constantly monitored. Additionally, while Semenyo's desire to join Arsenal is noted, numerous factors could influence his decision, including team dynamics and financial stability beyond mere transfer fees.
However, there are still some worries about whether United could spend that much money in the middle of the season. Ruben Amorim's team got Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, and Benjamin Sesko for around £200m total, making some wonder where Semenyo would even fit into the starting lineup without taking out one of those players.
That being said, Semenyo has shown he can play in pretty much any attacking position, even the No. 10 spot. One idea could be to have him take that spot from Bruno Fernandes and move the Portugal star to a deeper spot in the midfield.
But, United supporters may be sad to hear they are not seen as favourably in the battle to sign Semenyo as some other teams. The Athletic says that Liverpool and Manchester City are in front to get him, with both teams probably more appealing to most players right now.
United could also give Semenyo the No. 9 shirt if they want to. The number is open since Rasmus Hojlund went to Napoli on loan during the summer.
Even though it might not seem like a big deal overall, having the correct shirt number really matters to some very talented players. It turns out Liverpool could also give him No. 24, but Josko Gvardiol is wearing that shirt for City at the moment.
FORWARD EVOLUTION: ANALYZING MBEUMO’S TRANSITION FROM A RIGHT-WINGER TO A CLINICAL CENTRAL STRIKER
Red Devil revival: Discover why Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville think Bryan Mbeumo is the best signing in the Premier League.
Jamie Carragher can’t say enough good things about Bryan Mbeumo, Manchester United’s big signing under Ruben Amorim. In fact, Carragher called Mbeumo “one of the best” in the Premier League this season.
United splashed out over £200 million in Amorim’s last transfer window, bringing in Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, Benjamin Sesko, and Senne Lammens. All four have made their mark, especially during the team’s recent hot streak under caretaker boss Michael Carrick, who stepped in after Amorim left last month.
Mbeumo and Cunha have quickly become real threats up front, and Sesko just can’t stop scoring, with six goals in seven games since Amorim’s exit. Lammens, meanwhile, has settled in as United’s new No. 1 after his £18 million move from Royal Antwerp. He looks like a smart bit of business.
The turnaround has been dramatic. United have picked up 16 points out of a possible 18 under Carrick, rocketing into the Champions League spots. This, from a team that finished way down in 15th last season.
Carragher, the Liverpool legend, has loved watching United’s revival, and he keeps coming back to Mbeumo as a standout. On Sky Sports, he said, “Bryan Mbeumo came in as almost a right-winger or a right-sided forward in Amorim’s system, and I was surprised to see him go through the middle. But for me, he’s been one of the best signings in the Premier League this season. He just fits Manchester United.”
He added, “Gary Neville always talks about what a United player should be, and honestly, Mbeumo looks the part. He’s got the power and pace to drive you up the pitch, and he’s clinical too. He’s been fantastic, whether he’s leading the line or out wide.”
Neville himself is a big fan, calling Mbeumo “a really solid signing.” He even suggested Arsenal and Chelsea missed a trick by not snapping him up. On the Stick to Football podcast, Neville said, “Looking at it now, Mbeumo probably would have been better for Chelsea and Arsenal than some of the players they signed. Joao Pedro’s been decent, but Mbeumo would have been a sensation for Arsenal. He’s just a good signing for United. I like him a lot.”
Ian Wright agrees and admitted he was “gutted” Mbeumo didn’t end up at Arsenal. “He always looks dangerous,” Wright said. “Absolutely, he would have made Arsenal stronger.”
United just edged out Everton 1-0 on Monday night and are gearing up to face Crystal Palace next. After the win, Carrick said, “We had to work for it. Credit to Everton; they made it tough and forced us to defend our box a lot. The way we dug in was top class. Keeping a clean sheet is fantastic. We know we can play better, but it’s satisfying to come away from home and get the win.”
GARY NEVILLE SPEAKS OUT: UNITED URGED TO FIND "TOP CLASS" MANAGER DESPITE CARRICK'S SUCCESS
Unbeaten but uncertain! Discover why Gary Neville wants Manchester United to find an elite manager despite Carrick's success.
Gary Neville thinks Manchester United needs to look for a new manager, even though Michael Carrick’s done a great job as interim head coach. Since Carrick took over, United haven’t lost in the Premier League. They’ve beaten City, Arsenal, Spurs, and Fulham, and only just drew with West Ham. You can see the team has turned a corner, and plenty of fans want Carrick to get the job full-time.
Still, Neville says United should go after the “best class of manager available.” He’s not ruling Carrick out, especially if the team grabs a Champions League spot, but he wants the club to aim high.
Before the Everton game on Monday, Neville told Sky Sports, “Manchester United have to go out and find another manager now, because you just don’t know how things will play out." When someone like Thomas Tuchel signs with England, it narrows United’s options. But that’s not a bad thing for Michael; his chances aren’t hurt at all. If he gets United into the Champions League, fans will be desperate for him to stay. I love Michael; I really do. But United needs to go for the top managers. They’ve already tried young, inexperienced options with the last two appointments. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was another ex-player, and it just didn’t work. So now, I think they need to play it safe and cut down on risk.”
Neville also shared that he spoke to the club a few weeks back to make his view clear. He told Sky Sports, “I’ve already said where I stand. I’m not going to repeat it every week, but I did speak to the club because journalists always ask them what’s going on. It’s a tough spot for them. There’s a huge push for Carrick, and the more he wins, the stronger that will get, especially if he gets close to Champions League football.
I asked the club where they stand and what they’re telling people. Honestly, their answer was solid. They said they’ve started the process of looking for a new manager, gathering data, reaching out to people, and just getting on with it. That’s what you need. You have to plan.
But they also told me they’re not going to rush. No matter what happens with results – win, lose, or draw – they’re waiting until the end of the season to make a decision. If Michael’s interested in the job at that point, and honestly, I can see him saying no, because he’s that sort of guy always putting the club first, well, then he can put his name forward. Or maybe he’ll decide he’s ready and wants to stay. Either way, they’re handling it the right way.”