Insider: Man Utd awaiting green light to activate £65m Semenyo clause

Manchester United technical director Jason Wilcox is ready to launch an onslaught for Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo.The Red Devils had already contemplated a move for the 25-year-old last summer, but eventually signed Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, and Benjamin Sesko, who collectively cost the club more than £200 million.In the end, the Ghanaian winger ended up staying at the Vitality Stadium. However, his mesmerising displays are making it increasingly difficult for Bournemouth to hold onto his services.Therefore, Semenyo will be one of the hottest names in the January transfer window, with a host of Premier League giants vying for his services.Man United preparing to trigger Antoine Semenyo’s release clauseIn recent weeks, Fabrizio Romano identified Man Utd as the frontrunners in the race for Semenyo, with Manchester City, Liverpool and Tottenham all trailing behind.Nevertheless, sources on Monday revealed that MUFC and Man City are embroiled in a tug-of-war for Semenyo.But in his latest update for CentreDevils, reliable Carrington insider Sully insisted that United remain well-positioned in the race, as they prepare to make a concrete step in the coming days.The journalist reveals that Wilcox and Ruben Amorim have identified Semeyo as the ideal profile to round off their new-look attacking department.(Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)The source reveals that Man Utd are now waiting for the final green light (supposedly from the club’s ownership) to trigger the player’s release clause.It has been reported in recent weeks that Semenyo’s contract with Bournemouth includes a buyout clause worth £65 million (£60m in fixed fees and £5m in bonuses) valid in January.The clause would drop to circa £50 million in the summer, but MUFC prefer to anticipate the competition by sealing the deal as soon as possible.Why Man Utd need to negotiate Antoine Semenyo deal with BournemouthSully also reveals that United are keen to negotiate the terms with the Cherries, as they would like to pay the fee in instalments, as they did when triggering Cunha’s release clause last summer.Amorim has recently admitted that he’d like to sign a wide player capable of filling various roles on the left flank, similarly to Amad Diallo on the right wing. For his part, Semenyo isn’t only capable of performing this role but can also wreak havoc from either side. Semenyo’s Bournemouth stats Appearances Goals Assists 25/26 17 8 3 24/25 42 13 7 23/24 36 8 3 22/23 11 1 0 The London native is a Bristol City academy product who has been playing his football at Bournemouth since 2023. The Ghana international appears destined to play for a top Premier League club, but it remains to be seen if Man Utd will prevail in what is swiftly shaping up to be a nerve-racking race.