New £64m Signing “Will Be Selected” Against Exeter as Injury-Hit City Welcome Winger
Pep Guardiola has confirmed that Manchester City’s marquee January signing, Antoine Semenyo, will be in the matchday squad for Saturday’s FA Cup third-round tie against Exeter City at the Etihad Stadium, potentially making his debut just days after arriving from Bournemouth.
The 26-year-old Ghana international completed his medical on Thursday and was officially unveiled on Friday morning after joining for a reported £64 million. He leaves Bournemouth in fine form, having scored a dramatic 95th-minute winner against Tottenham in his final appearance for the club.
“He’ll be selected,” Guardiola told reporters. “I don’t know if he’ll start, but he’ll be selected for sure.”
Semenyo, who described Guardiola as “one of the greatest managers ever,” said he believes his “best football is yet to come.” The City boss praised the winger’s versatility and Premier League pedigree, noting, “He played extraordinary at Bournemouth and can play on both sides… Many clubs wanted him and he decided to join us.”
The speedy winger’s arrival is timely for an injury-hit City side. Guardiola confirmed that Oscar Bobb remains sidelined, Savinho is out for months, and defenders Josko Gvardiol, Rúben Dias, and John Stones are among several long-term absentees.
Whether Semenyo starts or features from the bench against Exeter, his immediate inclusion signals Guardiola’s urgency to integrate a player City have tracked “for a few years” into a squad battling on multiple fronts. Should he not debut this weekend, he will be eligible for Tuesday’s EFL Cup semi-final first leg at Newcastle.
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