Go by New Islington Inexperienced, up Nice Ancoats Avenue and the non permanent dwelling for Manchester Metropolis’s new signings stands simply down the street from Piccadilly practice station.
The Dakota Resort is barely a couple of five-minute drive from the Etihad Stadium and that was blessed aid on January 8. By the point Antoine Semenyo ultimately paused for breath, having a meal together with his household and entourage, he’d been on the go for effectively over 12 hours – beginning at 5:30am.
As soon as settled across the desk, beneath the dimmed lights of Dakota’s moody restaurant, a confidant turned to Semenyo and began reflecting on how the London-born winger, rejected by a lot of the capital so callously as a youngster that he briefly walked away from the game, had arrived at this level.
As a £62.5million footballer purchased to inject impetus right into a Premier League title cost. Not as a undertaking. As any person for now. The beginnings, the travails, the combination of unhappiness and pleasure within the ending at Bournemouth, scoring that fairytale last-minute winner towards Tottenham the night time earlier than. Solely having fun with two hours’ sleep earlier than boarding their rented Pilatus PC-24 non-public jet sure for the North West.
Semenyo, deeply spiritual and baptised on Bournemouth seashore by pastor Jon Thomson on New 12 months’s Day, thanked God as they landed safely. His companion, Jordeen, gently chanted ‘Metropolis’ because the couple’s dachshund, Bailey, rested between them.
As Metropolis wrapped up the finer particulars of this switch through the opening week of the market, calls from different golf equipment got here in once more. Simply to test that he was positive about his vacation spot. He was and 6 weeks on, Semenyo has 5 targets in 9 appearances.
Antoine Semenyo has hit the bottom operating for Manchester Metropolis, scoring 5 occasions in his first 9 appearances as they push for a possible Quadruple
He’s a £62.5million footballer purchased to inject impetus right into a Premier League title cost. Not as a undertaking. As any person for now
He scored twice towards Tottenham within the area of a month… for 2 completely different groups, discovering the online for Metropolis 4 weeks after a last-gasp winner for Bournemouth in his remaining Cherries sport
For the primary of these within the Premier League towards Wolves, his youthful brother Jai – previously of non-League Eastleigh and a former house-mate, coaching with Bournemouth’s Beneath 21s – was within the household field. Semenyo has a targets and assists goal written in a e book and given how the primary month has gone, he have to be on monitor.
Sometimes, Pep Guardiola has already used him in 4 completely different positions: each wings, up entrance and in attacking midfield through the dramatic victory at Anfield. Chelsea, who made a giant pitch to him round Christmas, noticed the 26-year-old who idolised Didier Drogba as any person who would thrive for them centrally and Guardiola has been leaning into that in latest weeks.
‘Antoine scores quite a lot of targets but it surely’s not simply that,’ Guardiola mentioned. ‘He has a particular rhythm, a versatility in lots of positions. We knew it. Bournemouth are distinctive of their rhythm and defensively, he has that DNA. The affect has been actually good. We performed towards Antoine many, many occasions.’
Guardiola may have come up towards Semenyo even earlier, when the now Ghana worldwide – who’s buying and selling jibes with English team-mates concerning the World Cup Group L assembly in June – was at Newport County.
On mortgage from Bristol Metropolis, his exploits in League Two and their FA Cup run to the fifth spherical truly noticed Chelsea lodge a shock bid from nowhere. That made Bristol Metropolis sit up, swiftly recalling him and Semenyo missed out on a tie towards Guardiola’s champions at Rodney Parade.
Seven years later, Semenyo was taking a full web page out of the Bournemouth Echo providing gratitude for the assistance and steerage that they had afforded him throughout 4 seasons, in an emotional farewell.
Workers on the south coast discuss of the private touches that went together with his goodbyes and the way he had continued performing regardless of it being abundantly clear he wasn’t going to be round for for much longer.
But with 30 targets in 101 league appearances, the prevailing feeling was that it had been time to maneuver on.
There was a mix of unhappiness and pleasure within the ending at Bournemouth, scoring that fairytale last-minute winner towards Tottenham the night time earlier than
‘We knew (he can be good),’ mentioned Guardiola. ‘Bournemouth are distinctive of their rhythm and defensively, he has that DNA. The affect has been actually good’
It’s a far cry from his days on mortgage at Newport (pictured, centre), Sunderland and Bathtub Metropolis, having come by the ranks at Bristol Metropolis earlier than getting his transfer to Bournemouth
Little bits of dwelling have adopted him as much as Manchester. Thomson, of the Shoreline Winery Church a mile from the Vitality Stadium, is sending Semenyo audio prayers forward of each sport to complement his matchday Bible readings.
Thomson – who has been providing steerage pitchside earlier than matches since 2024 – will go to when doable, whereas Metropolis have a prayer room accessible across the tunnel space. Semenyo is taking a look at buying a property in Cheshire, ideally with a backyard for Bailey.
‘Prime,’ is how Guardiola described Semenyo’s settling-in interval – which began with Erling Haaland joking that the pair wouldn’t be passing to one another because of the hunt for the Premier League’s golden boot (Haaland must be protected regardless, main his team-mate 22-13).
Semenyo, who goes by Ant or Tony, has bonded strongly with Marc Guehi and Jeremy Doku. Metropolis’s dressing room is famend for its welcoming nature.
Ambipedal like Rayan Cherki, Semenyo can go both manner when driving ahead – a ability honed as a baby when dad and mom Vida and Larry would throw balls at him to entice – and provides Metropolis a special dimension as they tweak the best way wherein they assault opposition.
‘I have not actually been in a group that is ball-dominant earlier than,’ he admitted.
‘It is similar to being actually affected person, understanding when to decelerate the sport, when to hurry up and being in the appropriate positions, being an possibility. It is so much, however within the month I’ve learnt a lot.’
Guardiola steered that that is now a serious step up for any person keen to grasp his full potential, though insisted that the participant’s mentality is ideal for dealing with the rigours of elite sport.
Guardiola steered that that is now a serious step up for any person keen to grasp his full potential, though insisted that the participant’s mentality is ideal for the rigours of elite sport
Semenyo, who goes by Ant or Tony, has bonded strongly with Marc Guehi and Jeremy Doku. Metropolis’s dressing room is famend for its welcoming nature
‘I have not actually been in a group that is ball-dominant earlier than,’ he admitted. ‘It is so much, however within the month I’ve learnt a lot’
Semenyo has confided in mates that his one-to-one conversations with the supervisor since becoming a member of have been ‘deep and subsequent degree’, remarking the way it’s frightening extra crucial reflection.
One chat that they had on the day he signed made Semenyo sure he’d chosen properly and gave him the inside peace he craves.
‘When he turns into high class? We’ll must see,’ Guardiola smiled.
