Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic would need to part with ‘around £15 million’ to sign Bristol City’s Championship starlet Antoine Semenyo in the summer transfer window, journalist Dean Jones tells GiveMeSport.
Two years ago, Semenyo was struggling for form on loan at Sunderland in the third tier of English football. Few would have predicted, following a nine-minute cameo at Gillingham, that the Chelsea-born forward had this in his locker.
Something of an overnight sensation, Semenyo had no goals and just one assist to his name by mid-December. But, in the last two months, Semenyo has gone into overdrive, scoring five and setting up six more for his Bristol City team-mates.
And that only tells half the story.
The statistics do not reflect just how unplayable Semenyo has been. How explosive he looks. How dramatically he’s developed.
Those two goals against Fulham, emphatically taken with either foot, were the sort of ruthless finishes the 22-year-old looked incapable of just a few months ago.
Could Celtic really afford Antoine Semenyo?
Nottingham Forest came calling in January. But Steve Cooper’s side were told that Bristol City will not sell Semenyo for anything less than an eight-figure sum.
So, if Celtic are serious about taking one of the EFL’s most improved performers north of the border, The Hoops will have no choice but to find a club-record transfer fee from somewhere.
“He’s on a really good deal at Bristol City,” Jones explains. In the last window, there were clubs inquiring about him. They were told he would cost around £15 million.
“It’s going be a big package if they want to sign him.”
The Championship Player of the Month for January, Semenyo continues to be a shining light in a dark season at Ashton Gate. Cutting through the gloom with one exceptional performance after another.
“Antoine has made great progress,” beams under-pressure manager Nigel Pearson (Sky).
“He is a real threat with his power and pace – he must be a nightmare to play against! His challenge now is to keep developing and adding elements to his game to make him even more effective.”
Is £15m worth it?
The question is, are Celtic in any position to part with a club-record fee?
The Glasgow giants spent around £25 million after hiring Ange Postecoglou. But much of that outlay was financed by the sales of Kristoffer Ajer and Odsonne Edouard.
Celtic would struggle to invest £15 million on a single player without raising funds first.
Then again, qualifying for the Champions League – which can be achieved by snatching the Premiership crown from Rangers’ heads – will do wonders for Postecoglou’s spending power.
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