Pundit Paul Merson has thrown his support behind Bournemouth standout Antoine Semenyo making a potential move to Tottenham Hotspur instead of Manchester City. This recommendation comes amidst questions regarding Pep Guardiola`s longevity at City and Semenyo`s requirement for guaranteed minutes.
For a while, a significant transfer battle for Semenyo has been anticipated. The Bournemouth forward has emerged as one of the Premier League`s most in-form players this season, registering an impressive eight goals and three assists across 16 appearances.
Recently, Manchester City appears to have surged ahead in the pursuit. Reports indicated the transfer was trending positively towards City just before Christmas, and that situation seems largely unchanged. Although Liverpool is also reportedly still active in the race, Semenyo himself is believed to favor a move to the Etihad.
However, according to Merson, a different club entirely—Tottenham—could be the ideal landing spot for the prolific winger.
Merson elaborated on his reasoning, focusing on the uncertainty surrounding the reigning champions. “Man City? We don’t know if Pep is going to be there next season. So for me, I think Tottenham,” he stated.
Merson emphasized that a move to North London would ensure consistent playtime, something Semenyo might value highly. He noted that at Tottenham, there is “plenty of space” for a left-sided midfielder, suggesting Semenyo would play every week, just as he does currently at Bournemouth.
The pundit raised concerns about Semenyo adapting to City’s intense squad rotation. “He plays every week at Bournemouth. Will he get used to being able to play two games, coming out for one or two, playing another two. He might be one of them players that needs to play week in, week out. It’s hard. The foreign players can do it, they’ve been used to it. But for English players, and especially for someone like him who has been playing consistently all the time, he might not like that,” Merson explained.
Merson concluded by stressing that Semenyo must choose wisely, stating that he “has the world at his feet.”
Despite Merson`s advice, it is worth noting that a transfer to Tottenham would not represent the same magnitude of step forward as joining City or Liverpool. While the Manchester sides and Liverpool are comfortably within the Premier League’s top six, both Bournemouth and Spurs currently find themselves dwelling in the bottom half of the table.
Mark Thompson
