Antoine Semenyo’s Release Clause and Impact on Bournemouth

Antoine Semenyo has recently joined Bournemouth from Bristol City for a transfer fee of £10 million. The talented winger now has a £65 million release clause embedded in his contract, which can be activated in the first two weeks of the January transfer window, as confirmed by BBC Sport.

The Ghanaian international garnered attention from multiple clubs, including Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, during the summer transfer window. However, on July 1, at the age of 25, he opted to sign a new five-year deal with Bournemouth.

According to sources, Semenyo’s new contract includes a provision allowing the release clause to be triggered early in the winter transfer window, thereby providing Bournemouth ample time to secure a replacement for their star player, should he depart.

The winter transfer window for Premier League and English Football League (EFL) clubs will commence on January 1, 2026, and will conclude at 19:00 GMT on February 2.

This season, Semenyo has demonstrated exceptional form in the Premier League, having scored six goals and provided three assists in just 11 appearances for Andoni Iraola’s squad. Last season marked a significant milestone in his career, as he achieved double figures for the first time, netting 11 goals in the league and 13 across all competitions.

Semenyo, a London native, qualifies for the Ghana national team through his father. As a youth, he faced rejections from Arsenal, Tottenham, and Millwall before joining the football program at SGS College in Bristol, overseen by former Leeds and Forest Green Rovers manager Dave Hockaday.

Bristol City signed Semenyo in 2017, but he required loan stints at Bath, Newport, and Sunderland to develop before finally breaking into the Robins’ first team during the 2020-21 season. His move to Bournemouth in January 2023 for £10 million has proven beneficial, with his performance steadily improving since the transfer.

Semenyo’s contributions were instrumental in Bournemouth finishing ninth last season; however, the club faced challenges during the summer as they sold three of their starting defenders—Illia Zabarnyi, Milos Kerkez, and Dean Huijsen—for nearly £150 million. Additionally, they were unable to retain goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga’s loan from Chelsea, as the player moved to Arsenal. Nevertheless, maintaining Semenyo in the squad has been critical for Bournemouth’s success this season.