Amorim had dinner with £64m star before Man Utd signed Mbeumo instead

Fresh details of Manchester United’s long-held interest in Antoine Semenyo have emerged, with Ruben Amorim said to have dined with the forward before he went on to join Manchester City.

The Red Devils were alerted to a potential deal for Semenyo on the back of the attacker’s outstanding campaign with Bournemouth last term, in which he racked up 11 goals and five assists in the Premier League.

Semenyo would go on to sign a new five-year contract with the Cherries later in the summer, tying him to the club until 2030, but the player’s excellent start to the current season did little to quieten speculation of a big-money move.

Heading into last month’s transfer window, the likes of Tottenham, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool were all credited with a strong interest, as well as long-term admirers United.

A release clause in Semenyo’s contract meant Bournemouth were powerless to prevent their prized possession from leaving should a potential suitor stump up the required cash in the first two weeks of January.

Semenyo ultimately decided to prioritise a move to the Etihad once the opportunity arose and Manchester City would go on to shake hands on what represented a club-record sale for Bournemouth.

The Ghana international has since gone on to score in all but one of his five appearances under Pep Guardiola, including the side’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham last weekend.

The Athletic have shed new light on United’s protracted interest in Semenyo in their latest Transfer DealSheet column – and it appears the club’s pursuit was still very much alive right up until the January transfer window.

Last summer, Semenyo was identified as a potential option for one of the two No.10 positions in Amorim’s much-maligned 3-4-3 formation – and the Red Devils were prepared to ‘accelerate’ their move for the 26-year-old last month.

It’s claimed Amorim and United’s director of football, Jason Wilcox, even had dinner with Semenyo in London in the latter stages of last season before opting to turn their attentions to Bryan Mbeumo.

There were further rounds of discussions with Semenyo and his entourage over the course of the winter, only for the winger to set his sights on United’s local rivals.

The report adds that the decision to pivot away from Semenyo and towards Mbeumo ‘did little to help United’s cause’ in their efforts to lure such a sought-after player to Old Trafford.

The level uncertainty surrounding Amorim’s future – and his eventual dismissal – would also have been a factor when Semenyo was weighing up his options before signing for City.

Having found the net in a dream City debut against Newcastle, Semenyo said he was ‘playing with a smile on his face’ and excited for what the future could bring.

‘The whole environment here is perfect. Everyone is confident and wanting to achieve the best,’ Semenyo explained.

‘I’ve just come into that and they’ve helped me with my confidence and they’ve made me feel welcome.

‘It’s been a lot, definitely been a lot, but I’m enjoying it so far, I’m definitely picking things up very quickly. I’m enjoying it.

‘I’m taking the confidence from Bournemouth to here. I’m playing with a smile on my face. I’m enjoying every moment.’

Semenyo will be hoping for more of the same when City and Newcastle meet again for the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final at the Etihad this evening.

Guardiola’s side, who hold a 2-0 advantage from the first leg, would face Arsenal in this year’s final should they advance through.

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