Man Utd linked with £88m south coast double-swoop. City, Spurs and Liverpool wait in the wings
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Manchester United are back in familiar territory. Another stuttering start. Another scramble for mid season solutions. This time their focus has shifted to the south coast, where Bournemouth stars Tyler Adams and Antoine Semenyo have become two of the most watched players in the league. United want both. January will show whether they can actually pull it off.
Bournemouth spent the summer selling key pieces. Dean Huijsen, Milos Kerkez and Illia Zabarnyi all left. Semenyo attracted enquiries from Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur. Bournemouth held firm and secured a new contract for the winger, but the deal contains a sixty five million pound release clause. It is a figure that makes sense in today’s market and one that guarantees interest once the window opens.
United have revived their pursuit of Semenyo. They have also placed Adams on their list. The Daily Mail has reported that the club have discussed the midfielder internally as they continue the search for Casemiro’s long term replacement. Adams has rebuilt his career at Bournemouth after recovering from a back injury. He presses aggressively, cuts out danger early and gives his side control in areas where matches are often decided. His work has helped unlock the more expressive players around him, including Semenyo, Justin Kluivert and Marcus Tavernier.
United scouts have taken note. The club have turned toward more attainable midfielders after learning that Elliot Anderson and Adam Wharton will not be allowed to leave in January. Joao Gomes and Conor Gallagher are on the shortlist as well. Carlos Baleba had been in contention, although his recent drop in form has cooled the conversation. Bournemouth paid twenty three million pounds for Adams in August 2023. They would seek a clear profit, and they have every reason to wait for the market to come to them.
The bigger chase centres on Semenyo. United are considering triggering his release clause. The winger has grown into one of the Premier League’s most forceful ball carriers. He presses hard, runs directly and forces defenders into bad decisions. United will lose Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo to the Africa Cup of Nations. Even though Ghana failed to qualify, Semenyo’s availability in January does not change United’s need for another reliable forward option.
The competition is heavy. Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool are all tracking him. City are ahead of the rest. Fraser Fletcher reported that Pep Guardiola’s side have already made contact. Liverpool have backed away since hearing that news and have redirected their attention toward Rodrygo at Real Madrid. Tottenham still have Semenyo at the top of their list as they look to stabilise a forward line that has lacked consistency.
Semenyo has not indicated a preference. Ghana manager Otto Addo has urged the player to take the next step in his career. That comment has only intensified the noise around him.
United have other fires to watch. Fabrizio Romano has examined the pressure surrounding manager Ruben Amorim. Results and performances have not convinced. Crystal Palace head coach Oliver Glasner has been mentioned as a possible successor, although his contract negotiations with Palace are at a tense stage. No breakthrough. No decision. Just another thread in a season thick with uncertainty.
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United need clarity. They also need players who add authority rather than more questions. Adams brings control. Semenyo brings threat. Both are realistic targets, but neither comes cheap and neither arrives without competition. United have been outmanoeuvred often in recent windows. January is another test of whether they have learned anything.
If they want Adams and Semenyo, they will need to act with conviction. The rest of the league is already moving.
