Bristol City striker Antoine Semenyo has been ruled out for up to three months with a shin injury, Bristol Live understands, meaning the Robins forward will miss all of pre-season and the first set of games of the 2022/23 campaign.
Semenyo returned home early from Ghana duty this month with the problem, having made his debut for the Black Stars against Madagascar on June 1. Initially the injury was only thought to be minor but having experienced further pain, and with fears over his participation for the summer, the 22-year-old visited a specialist this week.
Unfortunately, tests have confirmed the shin problem is severe and Semenyo is unlikely to return to training until the start of September, although there is some confidence that head of medical Dave Rennie and his team can reduce the timescale slightly, depending on how the injury reacts over the course of his rehab.
It’s a considerable blow for City as they prepare to return to the High Performance Centre ahead of the 2022/23 Championship campaign, which kicks off over the weekend of July 30.
Semenyo’s return from long-term injury last season helped transform the Robins attack with the dynamic attacker moved into a central role alongside Chris Martin, scoring eight goals and adding 12 assists in 31 league appearances.
Nigel Pearson does have plentiful options in the final third with Martin, Andi Weimann, the underused Nahki Wells plus academy talent Tommy Conway and Sam Bell, but the City managed ideally would have liked to kick-started the new campaign with his WSM frontline together.
It’s not thought that Semenyo’s injury will increase any desire to try and sign a new striker, although the uncertainty over Wells’ situation - with the Bermudian in the last year of his contract and among the club’s higher earners - could change that, should he be sold earlier in the window. Which, admittedly, looks unlikely at this moment in time.
Semenyo was named Championship Player of the Month in January, while Nottingham Forest had a transfer offer turned down on deadline day as interest in the former SGS College student grew.
Semenyo was likely to be subject to further interest this summer, with Celtic, Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, Forest and Brighton & Hove Albion among those closely monitoring his situation but the injury all-but rules out a summer move.
City have priced Semenyo towards the £20m mark, given his value to them on the field and his potential ceiling, but Premier League clubs are unlikely to want to spend that volume of money on an injured player from the Championship, however high his talent may be.
It could, therefore, in a cruel sense be seen as a bonus as it increasingly safeguards Semenyo’s future in Bristol for at least until the January transfer window. Although the forward is out of contract next summer, the Robins hold a 12-month option which they are expected to exercise to, at the very least, help secure the financial value of their asset.
Semenyo has also had an offer of a new contract on the table since Forest’s failed swoop but there has been no indication of him further extending his terms at present.
That being said, there is a desire within Ashton Gate to raise some transfer revenue this summer to help meet the EFL’s Profit & Sustainability obligations for next year. City have dramatically reduced their wage bill, which will be further cut when Kasey Palmer completes his expected move to Coventry City, but a significant sale would ensure they meet the designated threshold. CEO Richard Gould has been consistent though that City will not be bullied into a low-ball sale just because of the challenging financial landscape they are working within.
Of City's prized assets Han-Noah Massengo looks the most likely to move on, given his expiring contract, but despite interest in France at Lyon and Nice, the Robins are yet to receive a formal offer for the dynamic midfielder.
Alex Scott's participation for England at the European Under-19 Championships could significantly increase his stock, while City are open to offers for senior players Tomas Kalas, Dan Bentley and Wells as they enter the final 12 months of their agreements at Ashton Gate.
Midfielder Tyreeq Bakinson remains a consideration at Ipswich Town, while defenders Taylor Moore and Zak Vyner are also expected to be moved on. Securing substantial transfer fees outside of the Premier League, however, remains a challenge in the wake of Covid-19's impact on football finances, evidenced by Palmer's impending free transfer to Coventry.
It will be the second straight pre-season Semenyo has missed having undergone knee surgery at the end of the 2020/21 campaign which disrupted his summer and the start of the season. He didn’t return to training injury-free until mid-November, before forcing his way into the starting XI in spectacular fashion.
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