Bournemouth transfer news: Cherries 'exploring move' for £30m Antoine Semenyo replacement

Bournemouth have reportedly identified Leicester City attacker Abdul Fatawu as a potential replacement for Antoine Semenyo.

The Cherries are bracing themselves for Semenyo's imminent departure, with his £65m release clause set to become active for around the first 10 days of the January transfer window.

Manchester City are believed to be leading the race for the Ghana international, although they are facing competition from Premier League rivals Liverpool.

While Bournemouth stand to receive a healthy fee, they will have their work cut out to find an adequate replacement for a player who has scored eight goals and provided three assists in 16 league matches this season.

Bournemouth identify Fatawu as Semenyo successor

According to the Daily Mail, the Cherries are 'exploring a move' for Fatawu after identifying the Leicester man as a viable candidate to replace Semenyo in the winter transfer market.

The report claims that the Foxes demanded more than £30m when Sunderland and Everton asked about Fatawu's availability in the summer window.

Bournemouth will decide in the 'coming days' whether they will pursue a move for the Leicester star, with the Cherries said to be considering a number of targets.

Nottingham Forest's James McAtee is also believed to be an option, although he tends to play more centrally than Semenyo.

Who is Bournemouth's transfer target?

Fatawu initially joined Leicester on a season-long loan move from Sporting Lisbon in the summer of 2023 before he made the switch permanent a year later.

The 21-year-old, who is Semenyo's international teammate, helped Leicester win promotion in his first season in England with a return of six goals and provided 13 assists in 40 Championship appearances.

Unfortunately for Fatawu, he was restricted to just 11 Premier League matches last term after he sustained a serious knee injury in November 2024.

The winger has since returned to fitness to contribute four goals and six assists in 23 Championship appearances this season.

Fatawu may possess pace and skill like Semenyo, but the left-footed attacker tends to play off the right, where the right-footed Bournemouth star usually operates on the left.

The Cherries' recruitment team will take all that into consideration, as well as assessing whether they think Fatawu can be a success at Premier League level.