Antoine Semenyo will be available to play for Manchester City in the Carabao Cup this evening despite already having appeared in the competition for Bournemouth.
The Ghanaian winger traded the Vitality Stadium for the Etihad last week in a £62.5million deal and he was thrown straight into the fray, starting and scoring in City’s 10-1 FA Cup demolition of Exeter City on Saturday.
And he is already set for more cup action as Pep Guardiola’s men get set to visit Newcastle in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final.
Semenyo played 45 minutes as the Cherries were knocked out of the Carabao Cup at the first time of asking back in August, but is not cup-tied due after an update to the competition’s rules.
Rule 6.4 was introduced ahead of this season and permits any registered player to play for at most two clubs in any given season.
As such, Semenyo will be available to face the Magpies and starts in attack.
It is a huge blow for Eddie Howe, who had reportedly been keen on signing the Ghanaian himself, and his injury-hit Magpies.
Howe fumed in his pre-match press conference: “I have to say that’s one rule change I probably wouldn’t be supportive of at this current moment.
“It was nice to find out that rule had changed after finding out they had signed him!
“Antoine’s had an incredible season. I’m a big admirer of his and he scored on his debut so fair play to him. I think Manchester City have signed a very, very good player.”
Semenyo will not be the first high-profile player to take advantage of the new Carabao Cup rules.
Chelsea striker Marc Guiu was on the scoresheet for Sunderland as they beat Huddersfield in the second round during his bizarre 26-day loan spell on Wearside. After being recalled to Stamford Bridge, he started in the Blues’ quarter-final defeat of Cardiff City.
