Man Utd miss Semenyo signing as Sesko struggles, sparking debate

Manchester United missed a summer opportunity to sign Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo after talks over a fee and salary broke down, while their marquee forward Benjamin Sesko has struggled to justify his record transfer fee, leaving growing debate over the club’s recruitment and whether decision makers will regret their choices. The negotiations unfolded through the summer as United reshaped their attack, but Semenyo ultimately signed a new contract with Bournemouth after the clubs and player could not agree terms, according to journalists and club sources.

Manchester United pursued several attacking targets as part of a roughly 200 million overhaul that produced signings including Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha. Journalists reported that United “aggressively targeted” Semenyo from March and reached personal terms with the 25 year old, but balked at Bournemouth’s asking price. One report said United told Bournemouth they would pay no more than 55 million, while Bournemouth pressed for about 70 million and used interest from Tottenham to push the valuation higher. Journalists also said Semenyo discovered the United salary offer would have been markedly lower...