Antoine Semenyo told which new club to pick and why one reason should be the biggest influence

Antoine Semenyo has a big decision to make as the January transfer window opens, and a key figure in his career has offered him some solid advice.

Man City appear to be front runners for the Ghanaian international with Manchester United and Tottenham also linked, with a release clause of £60-65million set to be active.

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talkSPORT understands Chelsea have pulled out of the running, while Liverpool are unlikely to make a move despite Alexander Isak’s injury.

It’s also anticipated Arsenal would only make a move if they could sell one of their current crop of wingers.

Spurs and the Red Devils aren’t out of the race but they are likely to be outsiders.

And Michael Flynn, who managed the winger while he was at Newport County on loan, reckons one key factor could help City win the race.

Asked if they would be the perfect choice for Semenyo, he told the Weekend Sports Breakfast: “Well, what I think is, at Man City, he’s got the best two coaches, well, best manager and the best coach that I’ve come across.

“Pep Lijnders and Pep Guardiola are up there with… well, they are the best.

“We can have a discussion on that later, but they’re the best. They’re the best. I’m a Liverpool fan, everybody knows that and with Arne Slot, would he fit in? But for me, I know that Manchester City would do him the best.

“If it’s not Arsenal, it’s got to be Arsenal or Man City for Antoine. If I were his agent and his guardian, I’d be telling him one or the other.”

What makes Semenyo so good?

Flynn still has a huge soft spot for his former charge and is delighted that such a nice person is having his time in the sun.

“Tony’s one of the best I’ve ever come across,” he added. “He’s so humble. He’s down-to-earth, hard-working, such a lovely guy.

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“And he’s a credit to his parents, a credit to himself, and somebody I can’t speak highly enough of.

Asked what he thought had changed about Semenyo’s game since his formative years, he said: “He can go either way. He’s right-foot, left-foot.

“What I’ve noticed is how much he’s developed physically. He’s a big, big, strong unit. I think he’s got even bigger. So I think he’s been, you know, working off the pitch in terms of that.

“You know, first game of the season, Liverpool, the way he scores that wondergoal. And you just knew he’s got a kick on, and for me, probably Man City, I think, he’ll end up there.

“But he’s some player, he’s some lad and, you know, I just, I can’t speak highly enough of him.”

As well as being an offensive threat, Semenyo does his fair share of the defensive work, both tracking back and at set pieces.

And Flynn singled another person out for praise on that front.

He added: “I think we’ve got to give Wayne Hatswell [former Newport assistant] some credit for that because he worked with him on the set plays very rigorously.

“So got to give Wayne a mention there, but honestly, Antoine, anything you asked of him, he would do. He would question if he didn’t know what to do. He was, honestly, a dream.

“Him and Ben White, what a dream.”

But when asked if he thought Semenyo was always on-track to hit these heights, Flynn admitted he didn’t realise he’d fly quite so high.

“I’ll be 100 per cent honest with you,” he said. “I’m not sure that he was going to be one of the best players in the Premier League, but I knew he would go to the top.

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“When we had him at Newport, Chelsea actually came in for him, Tony’s old club. And I think the bid got turned down, but he, honestly, we played against Leicester in the FA Cup and he was unbelievable.

“We knocked them out of the FA Cup, and Antoine was unplayable. He was honestly, I think it was Danny Simpson, the right-back, and Danny’s had an unbelievable career, and Antoine was the best player on the pitch.”

Ghana be great

Another man who witnessed Semenyo’s rise was his former international boss Chris Hughton.

He managed him with Ghana and insisted it’s his ability out of possession just as much as his work with the ball that has won him so many admirers.

“Well, probably going back before I knew him very well in my roles here [at Ghana]. I watched him a lot at Bristol City,” he told the Weekend Sports Breakfast.

“I think what you have got to do is give Bournemouth and their management and the coaching staff huge credit.

“This was a lad that, predominantly, is a centre-forward but always used to like to run the channels, but a centre-forward, and in his time at Bournemouth, in effect, they’ve converted him to a wide player.

“I think he’s had an excellent season. I mean the qualities that he has got for, for somebody that’s of his size and stature, he’s an incredible athlete and somebody that’s a manager’s dream, really. He’s prepared to run back as hard as he is to run forward.

“I think he’s really developed. Of course, everybody’s speaking about potential options that he will have, but I would put him in that same bracket as Eberechi Eze and Bryan Mbeumo, that went for a similar type price.”

“I think he’ll grace any of the top clubs either as a main star or as an integral part of their squad.”