Chelsea have made an initial enquiry about signing Bournemouth attacker Antoine Semenyo in January.
Chelsea had planned to sign a new forward in the summer but have contacted Semenyo’s camp about the conditions of a deal, with a view to potentially accelerating their plans to January.
They are one of a number of a clubs interested in the Ghanaian, whose contract with Bournemouth, which runs until 2030, contains a £65million release clause in January – as revealed by The Athletic on November 17.
Chelsea did not spend on a forward in the summer, when Xavi Simons was under consideration from RB Leipzig before eventually joining Tottenham Hotspur, but they did sign 20-year-old attacker Facundo Buonanotte on a season-long loan from Brighton & Hove Albion.
Tottenham made an enquiry for Semenyo in the summer, while Manchester United were also among his suitors. The Athletic reported in the Transfer DealSheet in December that he was also among several players admired by Liverpool.
Semenyo has enjoyed a strong 2025-26 campaign, providing eight goals and three assists in 16 Premier League appearances.
The Ghana international was valued at £70m by Bournemouth in the summer, but the sale price for the winter is now formally set at £65m. It must be activated by a specific date, which would give Bournemouth a couple of weeks to replace their best player, and is available to any team. If Bournemouth manage to fend off admirers in the coming months, the mechanism will again be available once the subsequent transfer window opens, at an even lower figure.
Earlier this month, Ghana head coach Otto Addo suggested that Semenyo should be looking to move on from Bournemouth.
“He has done very well at Bournemouth, but with all the respect for Bournemouth and what they’re doing, surely it is natural for him to take the next step,” Addo told The Athletic after the World Cup draw on December 5.
Bournemouth sold several key players in the summer following a successful 2024-25 season under Andoni Iraola.
Centre-back Dean Huijsen moved to Real Madrid in May when the La Liga club capitalised on a £50m clause. Bournemouth also sold left-back Milos Kerkez, central defender Illia Zabarnyi and winger Dango Ouattara. A year earlier, Dominic Solanke, who himself had a £65m exit provision, left to join Tottenham.
Semenyo has made 106 appearances for Bournemouth since signing from Championship side Bristol City in January 2023, recording 30 goals and 13 assists.