Antoine Semenyo has emerged as one of the Premier League’s most influential players this season and says he is content to have remained at Bournemouth for 2025–26. Despite sustained speculation over his future, Semenyo made clear he has focused on his football and on contributing to the team.

“I try to stay present as much as I can,” Semenyo told Sky Sports. “You see the news all the time, I see it as well. I’m not oblivious but I try to stay focused. I don’t think about it too much.” He added: “I’m enjoying my football here. If I’m not scoring goals, all of that goes away. I try to stay present, do the best I can for the team, score goals and whatever happens in the future happens.”

The Ghana international has nine Premier League goal involvements this term, the most of any player outside of Erling Haaland, and has scored six goals in 10 appearances. Those numbers have helped him attract transfer interest; the summer window included a £50 million bid from Manchester United to try to sign him for Old Trafford.

Unlike former Bournemouth teammates Dean Huijsen, Milos Kerkez and Illya Zabarnyi, who completed big-money moves elsewhere, Semenyo stayed. He said there was active negotiation with the club but that his belief in manager Andoni Iraola played a major part in his choice. “There was a lot of interest and back-and-fourth with the club [over a potential transfer],” Semenyo said. “But I knew in my head that the manager’s got something up his sleeve this year. How we finished off the season last year was so good and we could continue, especially with the players we’ve bought in as well.”

Semenyo described Iraola’s impact on the squad when speaking to Jamie Redknapp. “He’s unbelievable [Iraola] honestly,” Semenyo told Jamie Redknapp. “As everyone embedded into what his playing style was, it’s just been unbelievable. It’s just relentless and I think everyone’s into it.”

Now 25 and off to the best start of his career, Semenyo remains based at Vitality Stadium as Bournemouth sit fourth in the Premier League table.

At the London Stadium a decision by Eddie Howe caught more attention than the match itself: Newcastle’s in-form forward Nick Woltemade was withdrawn at half-time with his side trailing to West Ham. The substitution felt abrupt. Howe also replaced Anthony Gordon and Emil Krafth at the break, but Woltemade’s removal prompted particular surprise given the form he has shown since joining from Stuttgart in August for an initial £65 million.

Woltemade’s early months on Tyneside have been influential. He has scored freely — the montage of his six goals in 11 games celebrating powerful headers, flicks, back-heels and penalties captured that impact and concluded with the line “I ain’t afraid of no goals.” He has been a key attacking presence, offering clever link play and energetic pressing, and he scored in the midweek Carabao Cup victory over Tottenham Hotspur.

The substitution had a wider ripple effect. More than 600,000 of the 10 million Fantasy Premier League managers transferred Woltemade into their teams for the round, expecting returns. Fans, too, voiced frustration as the forward sat on the bench, wrapped up and withdrawn from the view of supporters, while West Ham recorded their first win under Nuno Espírito Santo, with Lucas Paquetá and Freddie Potts impressing.

Tactically the change was curious. Will Osula was introduced to add direct pace behind West Ham’s back four, a style not natural to Woltemade, who links and ghosts into attacking positions and often thrives with a No 9 ahead of him. Yoane Wissa, when fit after his cruciate ligament injury, is expected to offer a complementary presence, and Callum Wilson now plays for West Ham.

Woltemade is just 23, reportedly exceptionally fit and careful with his energy. He wears 27 at Newcastle for personal reasons while he has worn 11 for Germany and did so at Stuttgart. German supporters have already shown their admiration and there were even disgruntled reactions from Bayern Munich powerbrokers Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Uli Hoeneß when he moved. Howe will have to decide how to balance the forward’s form and the fixture congestion ahead in Premier League and Champions League action.

Manchester City moved within six points of Arsenal after a 3-1 victory over Bournemouth in the penultimate Premier League match of the week. Erling Haaland scored twice in the first half, both goals set up by Rayan Cherki, and Nico O’Reilly extended the lead after the interval.

Haaland opened the scoring in the 17th minute after Cherki released him from inside his own half. Bournemouth responded from a corner when Tyler Adams converted a loose ball following a failed Donnarumma clearance. City players protested to referee Anthony Taylor but VAR checked and allowed the goal; it was Adams’ first Premier League goal. Haaland restored the lead before half-time with a composed finish after another incisive pass from Cherki. O’Reilly’s strike in the 60th minute sealed the result. Haaland was withdrawn in the 82nd minute for Omar Marmoush; it was the 15th time he was taken off after scoring a brace and marked his fourth straight home match with two goals. Rodri returned as a stoppage-time substitute, his first appearance since the injury suffered against Brentford earlier in the season; he is the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner.

Player ratings (out of 10)
GK: Gianluigi Donnarumma — 6.7: Should have done better on the corner for Bournemouth’s only goal of the evening.
RB: Matheus Nunes — 7.7: Performed well and dealt with Semenyo and Adrien Truffert for most of the night.
CB: Rúben Dias — 6.9: The Portuguese was solid at the back and looks to be building some consistent form.
CB: Joško Gvardiol — 6.9: Put in some big tackles and won four of his six duels.
LB: Nico O’Reilly — 8.3: Probably should’ve had two goals on the night, but will be happy to secure his first goal of the season.
DM: Nico González — 7.7: The Spaniard had another strong showing knowing competition for places will increase given the return of Rodri.
DM: Bernardo Silva — 6.8: A more quiet night for the Portuguese. In and out of the game at times.
RW: Rayan Cherki — 8.6: The creative spark that set Haaland free for both of his first half goals.
AM: Phil Foden — 8.0: Active and accurate in a central creative role on his 200th league appearance for the Cityzens.
LW: Jérémy Doku — 7.4: Completed the most dribbles (5) and created the most chances (4).
ST: Erling Haaland — 9.1: Scored two clinical goals after blanking last time out in the Premier League.

Subs used: Tijjani Reijnders 6.1, Savinho 6.5, Omar Marmoush N/A, Rodri N/A, Rayan Aït-Nouri N/A. Unused: James Trafford, John Stones, Nathan Aké, Rico Lewis.

Bournemouth started in a 4-2-3-1. Match stats showed City with 53% possession, xG 1.76 to Bournemouth 0.37, nine shots to two and six corners to one.