Manchester United line up Antoine Semenyo as Zirkzee talks with Roma open a clear path

Manchester United are positioning to sign Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth in January, with club talks held in London last week that also covered Joshua Zirkzee’s potential exit to AS Roma via permanent terms or a loan with obligation. City have registered interest, but United’s intent is concrete and early. Semenyo’s blend of power, pressing and direct carrying fits the profile United want. I watched him tear down the right flank at the Vitality last season - he never stops running and he punishes space. If United clear room in the forward line, this is a move they can wrap up quickly.

Club intermediaries facilitated meetings in London last week between Manchester United executives and AS Roma representatives to explore pathways for Joshua Zirkzee. Parallel outreach has been made to Bournemouth and the player’s camp regarding Antoine Semenyo ahead of the January window. Manchester City have also been in contact about Semenyo. The framework discussed includes a Zirkzee exit that would free squad space and salary for United’s incoming forward target. Internal approval processes and fee structures were mapped, including a loan with obligation mechanism for Roma.

🚨 BREAKING: Manchester United may make room for a move for Antoine Semenyo by letting Joshua Zirkzee leave - via a permanent transfer or a loan deal with an obligation to buy. Talks were held with AS Roma in London last week. [@FabrizioRomano]

@UtdXclusive

Impact Analysis

From a tactical lens, this is tidy business. United lack a relentless, two-way wide forward who can sprint repeatedly, force turnovers high and still carry threat inside. Semenyo offers that. At Bournemouth he has been a pressure trigger, happy to collapse onto the full back, then explode in transition. He is strong enough to pin his man, fast enough to attack the outside, and direct enough to drive into the box. That cocktail is ideal for a side that wants vertical transitions and quick restarts after regains.

On ball, Semenyo is a straight-line carrier who thrives when the picture is simple: receive, burst, hit across the keeper or fire low to the near post. Off ball, he tracks back, wins duels and accepts the hard yards. That effort profile will lift United’s front line intensity and protect the right back. He can play off the right, switch to the left, or act as a pressing 9 in late-game scenarios. His arrival would rebalance the unit around a more elastic shape, letting a central striker stay high while Semenyo narrows from the wing to crowd the box.

Financially, moving Zirkzee to Roma on a structure that preserves amortization while clearing wages is pragmatic. It aligns asset value with tactical fit. United would be swapping a back-to-goal forward for a field-stretcher and presser - closer to what the coaching group insists they need to recalibrate chance quality and regain volume.

Reaction

The early fan temperature leans warm for Semenyo. United supporters calling for more edge in transition see this as overdue. One camp believes offloading Zirkzee to make room is ruthless but necessary - fresh legs, fresh angles, fresh goals. Another camp argues patience with Zirkzee and worries about selling low after a stop-start spell. There is also noise about Manchester City’s interest, which some view as validation of Semenyo’s upside and others fear as price inflation.

A few voices push back with tribal notes, claiming Semenyo’s affinity for Arsenal, but that feels like terrace folklore more than a market reality. Comments praising the coaching vision suggest the profile fits the project: hard running, front-foot pressing, and direct finishing. The odd off-topic plug appeared, as it always does, but the core sentiment is consistent - United need a wide forward who sprints, bites and scores. The line that kept popping up in my inbox from fans after a recent away day: get it done, and do it before City complicate the story.

Social reactions

Offloading Zirkzee to bring in Semenyo could be exactly what we need. Hoping United get this done..our attack could do with some fresh firepower! 🔴⚪ #MUFC

Old Trafford Updates (@news_united_)

Semenyo is a gooner, he'll never come to United

dibur (@diburrr)

Now the move makes more sense

Emmex 🥷 (@hes_emmex)

Prediction

Scenario A - most likely: United progress a Zirkzee-to-Roma package with a loan plus obligation, staggered payments and achievable add-ons. That clears squad and salary headroom, and they close Semenyo quickly on a medium-length deal with performance incentives. Expect a swift medical once Bournemouth align on fee, with personal terms straightforward given Premier League continuity.

Scenario B: City’s parallel interest pushes the price and Bournemouth request a sell-on clause. United respond with a cleaner structure and earlier payment tranche to win club-side approval. The player’s desire to start regularly tilts the scales toward United, where the path to minutes is clearer on the right.

Scenario C: If Roma cannot hit the obligation threshold this window, United still pursue Semenyo and adjust outgoings with a smaller move. Timeline wise, watch the next 7 to 10 days for breakthroughs. United have learned the hard way about drawn-out deals - the plan is to strike before the window bottlenecks and lock the winger profile the staff want.

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Conclusion

This has the feel of a smart, targeted January pivot. United narrow in on a high-intensity wide forward who defends forward, runs behind and plays at Premier League speed. Semenyo is not a luxury name. He is an impact pattern - ball carry, final-third punch, defensive honesty. Those are the habits missing when United stall in sterile possession or lose second balls in wide areas.

Freeing space via Zirkzee is a tough call, but top clubs separate sentiment from fit. The Roma route lets United keep leverage while reshaping the attack. If they land Semenyo, expect a sharper press, more direct entries and better spacing around the 9. I remember watching him bully a top-six full back at the Vitality - shoulders squared, one shimmy, gone. That is the energy United need. Get the structure right, and this move will land. It suits the league, the squad and the direction of travel.