Exclusive: Semenyo WILL play for Bournemouth tonight but second Iraola request fails over £65m Man City transfer

Sources can reveal that Antoine Semenyo is in line to feature for Bournemouth in their Premier League game at Chelsea on Tuesday evening in what is set to be his final appearance for the Cherries, though Andoni Iraola’s efforts to stall the deal have now fallen flat.

Semenyo has agreed to join Manchester City after they agreed to trigger the exit clause in his contract, worth a £65m in total and £60m of which is guaranteed. Having held talks over a deal on Monday, sources can confirm that the move is now expected to go through in the next 48 hours and very quickly after the transfer window officially opens for business on January 1.

That move comes after City reached an agreement over personal terms with the player and reached a broad agreement with Bournemouth over a payment structure, which sources understand will be made in three instalments.

But despite the transfer terms now all but done – as sources insisted it would be and despite reports that Liverpool would look to hijack the deal – Semenyo is poised for one last rodeo as a Cherries player.

Indeed, sources can confirm that despite the 25-year-old’s impending move to the Etihad, Semenyo looks set to be involved in one form or another on Tuesday evening as the Cherries face off with Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

We understand that Semenyo has trained well and has been fully part of Iraola’s preparations ahead of the trip to south-west London.

We are also led to believe that Semenyo has not, to this point, voiced any reluctance to feature for Bournemouth in the game and despite the obvious risks over how picking up a serious injury could potentially jeopardise the move.

Want more breaking transfer lines from original sources? Add TEAMtalk as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust.

Antoine Semenyo: Iraola wish to delay transfer further will fail – Sources

Semenyo’s clause in his Bournemouth contract, signed over the summer, permits him to leave the south coast side between January 1 and 10.

Despite City rapidly agreeing a deal for the player, Iraola had hoped to delay the transfer right until the clause’s limit – and giving him access to select the player – his side’s leading light this season with eight goals and three assists from 16 Premier League appearances – across matches against Chelsea (Tuesday evening), Arsenal (on Saturday) and Tottenham (next Wednesday).

With Bournemouth in free-fall of late and winless in their last nine games, Iraola admitted that having Semenyo available for as long as possible would enhance his side’s chances of stopping the rot.

Confirming that wish, Iraola said at the weekend: “No, the more games Antoine can play for us, [the better].

“If he can play for years for us, it’s much better! If it cannot be years, it can be months. If he can only play weeks, it is weeks, but the more time he plays with us, the better for us.

“Antoine’s situation is quite clear. Antoine is a massive player for us, and even in games like today [Saturday’s 4-1 loss at Brentford] where he probably hasn’t played well, he is always a threat to score and assist.

“Obviously, I don’t want to lose him. This is quite clear, but some situations are not under my control. He will be available to play again in three days [versus Chelsea] and then the next one and I hope he plays a lot more with us.”

However, sources have stressed right from the off that Semenyo wanted to move to the Etihad as quickly as possible and once the January window opens for business.

With that move now expected to officially go through on Thursday, Iraola’s request has fallen on deaf ears – making Tuesday night at Stamford Bridge the star’s farewell appearance for the Cherries.

Following the match, Semenyo is expected to travel say his goodbyes to his teammates and colleagues at Bournemouth before travelling to the north-west for a medical with City and the final steps towards signing what will be a minimum four-year contract at the Etihad Stadium.

Man City also want £80m Nottingham Forest star; Savinho, Bobb to leave?

Elsewhere, City are also interested in adding another midfielder to their ranks and believe they could beat Manchester United to the signing of Elliot Anderson in 2026, we can reveal.

The Nottingham Forest star, however, will not come cheap and the Tricky Trees are adamant that his departure cannot be signed off in January, as things stand.

It was claimed on December 1 thatAnderson would prefer to join City over United, and now Pep Guardiola’s side appear to be growing in confidence that they can get the deal over the line.

Forest are expected to demand £80-100million before letting the England star leave.

Meanwhile, the arrival of Semenyo at City will spell bad news for Brazilian winger Savinho.

His game time is set to be reduced further after the Ghana winger signs, and we understand Tottenham, who almost signed him in the summer, are considering a fresh move and with Tottenham’s true stance on swooping for the Brazilian revealed by sources.

He’s not the only City star potentially set to leave, either, with sources revealing Crystal Palace are looking into a potential deal for Oscar Bobb, with the Norwegian another set to depart next month and with sources revealing the likely price City will demand.

Get the inside story first by joining our TEAMtalk Facebook channel to receive the latest breaking and exclusive news straight into your Messenger inbox.