Antoine Semenyo delivered a storybook finish on his 26th birthday, curling Bournemouth into ecstasy with a stoppage-time winner that felt ripped from a movie script — and all but sealed a blockbuster move to Manchester City.
Last-Gasp Heroics
In the fifth minute of added time, Semenyo rose to the occasion, rifling home the decisive strike that completed a dramatic 3-2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur. The Vitality Stadium erupted. Moments after being substituted, the Ghanaian was serenaded by fans and given a standing ovation — a fitting curtain call for a player who has become synonymous with grit and flair.
A Transfer on the Horizon
Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola all but confirmed what supporters had been whispering: Semenyo is set to join Manchester City, with sources telling ESPN the winger will undergo a medical later this week after City moved to trigger the reported £65 million release clause. The timing could not have been more cinematic — a last-minute winner, a jubilant send-off, and a new chapter waiting to be written at the Etihad.
Praise from the Dugout
“It’s a fairytale ending,” Iraola told the BBC, his voice heavy with admiration. He lauded Semenyo not just for the goal but for his professionalism amid swirling transfer talk. “Football sometimes gives you something back if you're really committed. He's one of the best players I've ever coached.”
Iraola singled out Semenyo’s character as much as his talent. “It's not easy to do what he has done because a lot of the players would have acted differently,” he said, praising the forward for never making excuses and always giving his all. “We pushed a lot to keep him until the last second here and it's fair he leaves with the feeling he has had at the end.”
City Stay Tight-Lipped
Across the Premier League landscape, Manchester City remained characteristically coy. Manager Pep Guardiola, fresh from a 1-1 draw with Brighton, declined to be drawn on the transfer, saying simply, “I don't know. I don't know what is going to happen in the transfer window.” The silence only adds to the sense of inevitability surrounding Semenyo’s next move.
A Moment to Remember
For Bournemouth fans the night was a bittersweet celebration: joy for the victory and pride in a player who leaves having given everything, and perhaps a twinge of sadness as he prepares to step onto a grander stage. For Semenyo, it was the perfect prelude — a dramatic finale at the Vitality before what looks set to be a glittering new beginning at Manchester City.
