Manchester United is interested in signing Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo this summer as the Old Trafford club plans a rebuild after a horrendous Premier League campaign.
United has won just 10 of its 36 league games and could finish as far down as 17th in the table. Prior to this season, United’s worst-ever Premier League finish was eighth, which happened last term and prompted mass criticism of the team and former manager Erik ten Hag.
The size of United’s rebuild will depend on whether the team wins the Europa League final against Tottenham next week. Victory in the Bilbao showpiece will secure United a spot in next season’s Champions League — provided Uefa’s multi-club ownership rules are satisfied — as well as the riches that come with competing in Europe’s premier club competition.
The Independent reports that Liam Delap, Matheus Cunha and Semenyo are all of interest to United, but that the chances of United signing both Delap and Semenyo could hinge on victory against Spurs.
Michael Owen previously named Semenyo as a possible replacement for Mohamed Salah when there was uncertainty over whether the Egyptian would stay at Liverpool.
“I think if [Salah] was to go, Liverpool would look to replace him and find another attacking player, probably, because I think Darwin Nunez will probably go as well,” Owen said. “So, if Mo Salah was to go, that’s two attacking players and they would definitely need to replace that with one or two.
“I like Antoine Semenyo at Bournemouth, who plays in the same position as Salah. I like him, a younger version, but definitely got energy, scoring capabilities and a good player.”
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That suggests that, should United lose, the Red Devils will prioritize a move for Delap, given his relatively modest $40 million release clause and the club’s need for a new striker.
United has struggled for goals throughout the campaign, with none of their players managing more than eight goals in the Premier League. United’s two main strikers, Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee, have tallied four and three league goals respectively.
United is reportedly exploring the possibility of selling both Hojlund and Zirkzee. Hojlund and Zirkzee were both signed from Serie A clubs and a return to Italy is said to be on the cards for both players.
The Old Trafford club is set to offload a number of players in the summer: Victor Lindelof, Christian Eriksen, Jonny Evans, and Tom Heaton are all set to leave at the end of their contracts on June 30, while the club is looking for permanent suitors for loanees Marcus Rashford, Antony, and Jadon Sancho.
Given how bad United’s season has been, the club is open to offers for most of its players as it looks to raise funds to provide Ruben Amorim with a host of new faces.
