Go by New Islington Green, up Great Ancoats Street and the temporary home for Manchester City’s new signings stands just down the road from Piccadilly train station.
The Dakota Hotel is only about a five-minute drive from the Etihad Stadium and that was blessed relief on January 8. By the time Antoine Semenyo eventually paused for breath, having a meal with his family and entourage, he’d been on the go for well over 12 hours – starting at 5:30am.
Once settled around the table, underneath the dimmed lights of Dakota’s moody restaurant, a confidant turned to Semenyo and started reflecting on how the London-born winger, rejected by most of the capital so callously as a teenager that he briefly walked away from the sport, had arrived at this point.
As a £62.5million footballer bought to inject impetus into a Premier League title charge. Not as a project. As somebody for now. The beginnings, the travails, the mixture of sadness and joy in the ending at Bournemouth, scoring that fairytale last-minute winner against Tottenham the night before. Only enjoying two hours’ sleep before boarding their rented Pilatus PC-24 private jet bound for the North West.
Semenyo, deeply religious and baptised on Bournemouth beach by pastor Jon Thomson on New Year’s Day, thanked God as they landed safely. His partner, Jordeen, gently chanted ‘City’ as the couple’s dachshund, Bailey, rested between them.
As City wrapped up the finer details of this transfer during the opening week of the market, calls from other clubs came in again. Just to check that he was sure about his destination. He was and six weeks on, Semenyo has five goals in nine appearances.
Antoine Semenyo has hit the ground running for Manchester City, scoring five times in his first nine appearances as they push for a potential Quadruple
He is a £62.5million footballer bought to inject impetus into a Premier League title charge. Not as a project. As somebody for now
He scored twice against Tottenham in the space of a month… for two different teams, finding the net for City four weeks after a last-gasp winner for Bournemouth in his final Cherries game
For the first of those in the Premier League against Wolves, his younger brother Jai – formerly of non-League Eastleigh and a former house-mate, training with Bournemouth’s Under 21s – was in the family box. Semenyo has a goals and assists target written in a book and given how the first month has gone, he must be on track.
Typically, Pep Guardiola has already used him in four different positions: both wings, up front and in attacking midfield during the dramatic victory at Anfield. Chelsea, who made a big pitch to him around Christmas, saw the 26-year-old who idolised Didier Drogba as somebody who would thrive for them centrally and Guardiola has been leaning into that in recent weeks.
‘Antoine scores a lot of goals but it’s not just that,’ Guardiola said. ‘He has a special rhythm, a versatility in many positions. We knew it. Bournemouth are exceptional in their rhythm and defensively, he has that DNA. The impact has been really good. We played against Antoine many, many times.’
Guardiola could have come up against Semenyo even earlier, when the now Ghana international – who is trading jibes with English team-mates about the World Cup Group L meeting in June – was at Newport County.
On loan from Bristol City, his exploits in League Two and their FA Cup run to the fifth round actually saw Chelsea lodge a surprise bid from nowhere. That made Bristol City sit up, swiftly recalling him and Semenyo missed out on a tie against Guardiola’s champions at Rodney Parade.
Seven years later, Semenyo was taking a full page out of the Bournemouth Echo offering gratitude for the help and guidance they had afforded him across four seasons, in an emotional farewell.
Staff on the south coast talk of the personal touches that went with his goodbyes and how he had continued performing despite it being abundantly clear he wasn’t going to be around for much longer.
Yet with 30 goals in 101 league appearances, the prevailing feeling was that it had been time to move on.
There was a mixture of sadness and joy in the ending at Bournemouth, scoring that fairytale last-minute winner against Tottenham the night before
‘We knew (he would be good),’ said Guardiola. ‘Bournemouth are exceptional in their rhythm and defensively, he has that DNA. The impact has been really good’
It is a far cry from his days on loan at Newport (pictured, centre), Sunderland and Bath City, having come through the ranks at Bristol City before getting his move to Bournemouth
Little bits of home have followed him up to Manchester. Thomson, of the Coastline Vineyard Church a mile from the Vitality Stadium, is sending Semenyo audio prayers ahead of every game to supplement his matchday Bible readings.
Thomson – who has been offering guidance pitchside before matches since 2024 – will visit when possible, while City have a prayer room available around the tunnel area. Semenyo is looking at purchasing a property in Cheshire, preferably with a garden for Bailey.
‘Top,’ is how Guardiola described Semenyo’s settling-in period – which started with Erling Haaland joking that the pair wouldn’t be passing to each other due to the hunt for the Premier League’s golden boot (Haaland should be safe regardless, leading his team-mate 22-13).
Semenyo, who goes by Ant or Tony, has bonded strongly with Marc Guehi and Jeremy Doku. City’s dressing room is renowned for its welcoming nature.
Ambipedal like Rayan Cherki, Semenyo can go either way when driving forward – a skill honed as a child when parents Vida and Larry would throw balls at him to trap – and gives City a different dimension as they tweak the way in which they attack opposition.
‘I haven’t really been in a team that’s ball-dominant before,’ he admitted.
‘It’s just like being really patient, understanding when to slow down the game, when to speed up and being in the right positions, being an option. It’s a lot, but in the month I’ve learnt so much.’
Guardiola suggested that this is now a major step up for somebody eager to realise his full potential, although insisted that the player’s mentality is perfect for handling the rigours of elite sport.
Guardiola suggested that this is now a major step up for somebody eager to realise his full potential, although insisted that the player’s mentality is perfect for the rigours of elite sport
Semenyo, who goes by Ant or Tony, has bonded strongly with Marc Guehi and Jeremy Doku. City’s dressing room is renowned for its welcoming nature
‘I haven’t really been in a team that’s ball-dominant before,’ he admitted. ‘It’s a lot, but in the month I’ve learnt so much’
Semenyo has confided in friends that his one-to-one conversations with the manager since joining have been ‘deep and next level’, remarking how it’s provoking more critical reflection.
One chat they had on the day he signed made Semenyo certain he’d chosen wisely and gave him the inner peace he craves.
‘When he becomes top class? We’ll have to see,’ Guardiola smiled.
