Antoine Semenyo is embracing a new attacking role under Manchester City’s recently appointed head coach Enzo Maresca as the club prepares for the upcoming season. The 26-year-old winger, who joined City in January from Bournemouth, demonstrated his attacking intent during the team’s first pre-season friendly against Inter Milan in Hong Kong on Saturday. Semenyo repeatedly penetrated the Italian side’s defense, culminating in an assist to Divin Mubama for the opening goal.
Semenyo revealed that Maresca’s tactical approach emphasizes wingers playing high and wide, a style that aligns with what the former Bournemouth player experienced during his earlier career. “From day one he’s got his ideas to us,” Semenyo said. “I’ve had individual meetings with him on how he wants to set up, how he wants to play, his widemen, and just overall as a team.”
The winger noted that while his previous manager, Pep Guardiola, sometimes adjusted his positioning based on the opposition, Maresca’s instructions are more consistent: stay wide and focus on creating opportunities when in possession. “Enzo is just, ‘Out wide and when you get the ball, just create opportunities’. It’s music to my ears,” Semenyo said, expressing excitement about the increased freedom and one-on-one situations he anticipates.
Semenyo’s arrival at Manchester City in the winter transfer window came at a critical time for the club, which had been dealing with numerous injuries. His contributions proved vital to City securing victories in both domestic cup competitions and mounting a late challenge against Arsenal in the Premier League. Among his highlights was scoring the winning goal in the FA Cup final against Chelsea, a moment he described as a “dream come true.”
Adapting quickly to City’s high standards and competitive environment has been a key challenge for Semenyo, who is also preparing for upcoming international duties with Ghana at the World Cup. Despite the demands, he has worked diligently during his break to remain in peak condition ahead of the club’s pre-season tour.
“It’s been good so far. I think [Maresca’s] ideas are great — quite similar to Pep,” Semenyo said. “When you think about Man City, United, Arsenal, they’re top-calibre clubs competing for trophies and the Champions League every year. You have to chuck yourself right in there and see how it goes.”
As Manchester City navigates the transition to Maresca’s leadership, Semenyo’s eagerness to take on defenders and influence games from wide positions suggests he will play a significant role in the team's attacking setup this season.