Manchester United were reportedly among the teams to fail with a £50 million ($66.6 million) move for Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo during the summer.
Semenyo, 25, has started the season in electric form for the Cherries. He has nine goal involvements from as many Premier League appearances, trailing only Erling Haaland in the scoring charts and also sitting second when it comes to assists.
Predictably, his form has sparked all sorts of rumours about a big-money transfer in 2026 but, The Telegraph report that United tried to beat the rush with a £50 million bid during the early weeks of the summer window.
The Red Devils, alongside Tottenham Hotspur, both tried to lure Semenyo away from Bournemouth after an impressive 2024–25 campaign which yielded 11 goals and six assists, but the Cherries declined the chance to do business.
Just how Semenyo would have fit into United’s transfer plans is unclear. They wrapped up their £62.5 million pursuit of Matheus Cunha in early June and then turned their attention to signing another attacker, which ended up being Bryan Mbeumo.
It seems likely that United explored a move for Semenyo as an alternative to Mbeumo, given negotiations with Brentford over the Cameroon international proved to be both long and expensive, ultimately concluding with a handshake over a £71 million fee in late July.
Semenyo Likely to Leave Bournemouth Next Summer
Contributing to Bournemouth’s decision to reject United’s approach for Semenyo was the winger’s preference to stay and continue his development on the south coast. His loyalty was rewarded with a new contract and a pay rise in July.
While he is now tied to Bournemouth until 2030, Semenyo is still seen as a likely candidate for sale next summer. The Ghana international’s new contract even includes an undisclosed release clause to help facilitate an exit further down the line.
United will have the chance to trigger that release clause next summer if they wish, but there no longer appears to be an obvious place in Ruben Amorim’s squad for another expensive forward, given striker Benjamin Šeško completed a new-look trio which cost over £200 million by the end of the summer.
Indeed, much of the recent speculation has revolved around Arsenal and Liverpool. Semenyo is a self-confessed fan of the Gunners, potentially handing Mikel Arteta’s side a boost if they chose to pursue a deal.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Man Utd Failed With £50 Million Bid for Bryan Mbeumo Alternative—Report.