West Ham United are interested in signing ‘electric’ 22-year-old Bristol City forward Antoine Semenyo, who is expected to cost about £15 million.
According to the Mirror, West Ham United are keen on a swoop for Bristol City forward Antoine Semenyo as David Moyes looks to bolster his striking department during the summer transfer window.
The 22-year-old came through the ranks at Bristol City and had brief successful development loan spells at Newport and Sunderland in the lower leagues before breaking into the first team at Bristol City in the 2020/21 Championship campaign.
His debut campaign was a mild success judging by numbers, with the youngster boasting just seven-goal involvements in 44 Championship games in his first full season for the Robins. But he established himself as a firm fan-favourite among the Bristol City fanbase owing to his exciting driving runs and searing pace.
However, his rapid progression this season under Robins boss Nigel Pearson has been remarkable. He has been a silver lining for Cider Army in an otherwise difficult campaign, with the Robins currently languishing 17th in the second-tier.
In 21 Championship appearances, Semenyo has scored six goals and added eight assists – a goal contribution every 103 minutes – and has helped the Robins steer clear of the drop zone. A decent goal-scoring run at the start of 2022 also earned him the EFL Championship Player of the Month award in January.
With him being regarded as one of the most exciting attackers in the division, outside interest from bigger clubs comes as no surprise. Promotion-chasers Nottingham Forest made a January bid for Semenyo, but it fell short of the Robins’ valuation, while Watford were also linked with a late move for the Bristol City striker. Now, it appears like West Ham fancy bringing him to the London Stadium.
West Ham’s interest in Semenyo stems from the fact that the Irons have yet to replace centre-forward Sebastien Haller since he was sold to Ajax back in early 2021. David Moyes desperately wanted to bring a striker to complement star striker Michail Antonio in the winter transfer window.
However, the Scot failed to bring in any new players in January, and West Ham now must rely on Antonio as their sole option between now and the end of the season, with the Jamaican himself enduring a tough spell in front of goal lately.
The Hammers have enjoyed great success dipping into the Championship market in the recent window, with the likes of Jarrod Bowen and Said Benrahma being the prime examples. They could yet look to repeat the trick by signing another promising attacker with plenty of potential in Semenyo.
He certainly fits the profile of a typical Moyes’ forward signing: young, homegrown, versatile and blessed with explosive pace, agility, strength and an eye for goal.
Apart from West Ham, Scottish giants, Celtic are also keeping track of the speedy forward but are expected to stay away from the Robins’ hefty valuation of around £15 million. Semenyo is under contract at Ashton Gate until 2023, with an option of a further twelve months. Whether West Ham splash the cash for the 22-year-old attacker come summer remains to be seen.