Chelsea have currently lodged an inquiry into signing the “fantastic” star who recently turned down a move to Tottenham Hotspur, but there could be stiff competition for his signature…
Blues keen to strengthen squad amid Maresca uncertainty
Enzo Maresca claimed the 48 hours leading up to the 2-0 win over Everton earlier this month were his worst since taking over at Stamford Bridge, and Jamie Carragher went on to insist the Italian has no intention of remaining in west London beyond the end of the season.
A Sky Sports pundit said: “I don’t think Maresca will be Chelsea manager next season. Talking about his ownership like that in public is a big problem.”
“And there’s no uncertainty (who he’s talking about). He’s talking about the owner and the sporting director.”
Since then, there has been further speculation about Maresca’s future, with it being revealed that Manchester City are targeting the 45-year-old as a successor to Josep Guardiola.
The prospect of taking charge of City, who have won six of the past eight Premier League titles, would certainly be appealing. However, Maresca could be tempted to stay if Chelsea show their ambitions in the transfer market, with Chelsea currently lodged an inquiry into the January signing of AFC Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo.
This was reported by Sky Sports’ Lyall Thomas in X, who says the Blues are currently considering the “terms” of a deal, but there could be fierce competition for Semenyo’s signature, with Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool keen to sign him.
Tottenham Hotspur were also in the race at one point, but manager David Ornstein recently revealed that the Ghanaian had ruled out a move to north London.
Chelsea are currently actively pursuing a ‘powerful’ defender and could make a £52m bid
The Blues may be prepared to make a huge offer.
Semenyo could be a ‘great’ signing for Chelsea
On Tuesday morning, Ben Jacobs revealed that the 25-year-old is likely to leave Bournemouth during the next transfer window, but his £65m release clause expires in 10 days, so those involved will need to act quickly.
It’s clear why the Bournemouth star is attracting such widespread interest, with high praise from Spurs manager Thomas Frank: “Semenyo can play wherever he wants to play. He’s a great player. I think he’s the best individual player for Bournemouth this season.”
Indeed, the Ghanaian international is so versatile that he has played in the front three throughout his career, scoring eight goals and providing three assists in this season’s Premier League.
The former Bristol City player has vastly outperformed his xG over the past year, averaging 0.36 non-penalty goals per 90 and expected to average 0.24, which shows he is a clinical finisher.
Liam Delap has struggled to make an impact this season, but Semenyo’s goalscoring record suggests he could start as Chelsea’s striker.
