Manchester United have missed out on signing Antoine Semenyo in January, with the Bournemouth forward opting to head elsewhere.
Over the past few days, Antoine Semenyo has been the talk of the Premier League, with a handful of clubs making their case for his signature.
However, Tuesday evening brought the news that Semenyo had snubbed Manchester United, favouring a move to Manchester City due to his desire for silverware.
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In addition, it was reported that United weren’t keen on breaking the wage structure for Semenyo, making the deal a non-starter.
But with the left wing as a clear target position, United have alternatives.
Manchester United identify Yan Diomande as Antoine Semenyo alternative
Signing Semenyo in January would have been nice, but ultimately just wasn’t what United needed with midfield such a glaring issue.
So now Semenyo is off the table, who is on the Red Devils’ radar?
Well, according to talkSPORT, the failure to land Semenyo was planned for and expected by United, with an alternative already being eyed up.
This is RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande, who United are keeping track of during his breakout season in Germany.
Diomande has had a lightning rise to become one of Europe’s most wanted players, with the 19-year-old having a £87m price tag placed on his head.
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One thing is that United won’t be pursuing Diomande until the summer, with Semenyo in January being more of a market opportunity.
United have been impressed by Diomande since November, and this interest will likely continue to grow given his continually impressive displays.
Diomande is Amad’s Ivory Coast AFCON teammate
Signing Diomande would be a very interesting addition. One that Amad knows very well, given that the pair are currently the Ivory Coast’s winger duo ahead of AFCON.
This gives United a boost in the race for his signature, with Amad potentially being able to play the ‘agent’ role during AFCON, international breaks, and also the World Cup next summer.
As far as left-wing talents go across Europe right now, Diomande looks destined to be one of the best, and he would round out a really exciting front four.
United could go into 2026/27 with Diomande on the left, Matheus Cunha 10, Amad right, and Bryan Mbeumo leading the line in a front four that interchange constantly.
The only issue would be when the next AFCON rolls around.
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