Andoni Iraola confirmed that Antoine Semenyo remains in his plans for Bournemouth’s Premier League trip to Arsenal, despite strong reports of a January move to Manchester City. The head coach said Semenyo will
feature after starring in the 2-2 draw at Chelsea, where Bournemouth again showed threat but failed to win.
Before that match at Stamford Bridge, reports suggested Manchester City were close to a £65million agreement for the 25-year-old forward. Semenyo has produced 12 league goal contributions this season, with nine goals and three assists, a figure bettered only by Erling Haaland’s 23 in the current Premier League campaign.
Semenyo’s display against Chelsea went beyond scoring, as two long throws led directly to Bournemouth’s first-half goals. David Brooks forced in the opener after one delivery, then Justin Kluivert finished at the back post from another. Those routines made Bournemouth only the third side to score twice from throw-ins in a Premier League away game.
That landmark places the Cherries alongside Sheffield United in October 1993 and Bolton Wanderers in August 2011. Yet transfer speculation overshadowed the performance, prompting questions about Semenyo’s future. Asked whether the forward had played his last game for Bournemouth, Iraola replied: "No, it's not. Yes, he will play this weekend. "
The draw at Chelsea extended Bournemouth’s Premier League winless run within this season to 10 games, with five draws and five defeats. It is the first time the club have gone 10 league matches without a victory in a single campaign, despite regularly threatening in attacking areas under Iraola.
The meeting at Stamford Bridge began well for Bournemouth. Brooks bundled home in the sixth minute after Semenyo’s throw created chaos. Chelsea responded when Semenyo tangled with Estevao in the penalty area, allowing Cole Palmer to convert a penalty. Enzo Fernandez then marked a milestone appearance with a powerful strike on 23 minutes.
Kluivert quickly levelled again from close range after another long throw, capping a frantic first half. During that opening period, Bournemouth attempted 14 shots, their highest total in the first 45 minutes of a Premier League away fixture. After half-time, however, the visitors managed only three further efforts, as attacking pressure faded.
The club’s social post highlighted the intensity of the performance, though Iraola’s main focus lay on lapses in concentration, especially before half-time. Those moments allowed Chelsea to stay level despite Bournemouth’s control, leaving the visitors frustrated at missing a chance for a rare Premier League away win.pic.twitter.com/WKqgw5cIXJAFC Bournemouth(@afcbournemouth) December 30, 2025
Iraola accepted that, given the venue, the outcome still carried some value. "This is probably one point we would’ve taken before the game. Chelsea away is a difficult game," Iraola added. "I do think we should be winning the first half because we played very well. I don’t think finishing the first half at 2-2 was fair. We didn’t have as many chances in the second half, and we had to defend a little bit lower, but we did that well. I think the clearest chances tonight were for us. For me, we played better in the first half, but also in the second half we defended well. The problem is that we were doing a lot of things to get one point against Chelsea and one point against Manchester United, which in the end doesn’t give you a lot. We do have to value every point though, because the standings are so close and every point is valuable. We have drawn four of our last five games. One point doesn’t give you a lot, but we have been competitive. I hope we continue this because things don’t get easier from here. "
Bournemouth’s recent sequence of four draws in five Premier League matches underlines that competitiveness but also the lack of wins. Iraola now prepares the squad for Arsenal, still counting on Semenyo despite transfer noise. With the table tight across mid and lower positions, every single point gained remains important for Bournemouth’s season.
