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A former Sunderland winger has reflected on the snubs he received from a number of Premier League clubs earlier in his career.
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Former Sunderland loan signing Antoine Semenyo has reflected on coping with rejection from several clubs before embarking on a professional career with Bristol City.
The 21-times capped Ghana international was finally offered a deal with the academy system at the Ashton Gate club after spending time on trial with Premier League quartet Arsenal, Crystal Palace, Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur, as well as Championship club Millwall. After earning senior experience with non-league club Bath City and League Two side Newport County, Semenyo joined Sunderland for the second half of the 2019/20 season. However, the Black Cats missed out on a place in the League One play-offs after the Covid-19 pandemic brought a premature end to the season and the final league standings were calculated on a points-per-game basis.
However, Semenyo’s involvement in the unsuccessful push for the top six was limited to just six substitute appearances and a solitary start, which came in a 2-0 defeat at Bristol Rovers on what proved to be the final day of the season. He returned to Bristol City and gradually worked his way into the Robins side over the following seasons to become one of the most dangerous wide players in the Championship. After scoring a total of 21 goals and providing 21 assists in 125 appearances in all competitions, Semenyo secured a first move into the Premier League with Bournemouth after the Cherries agreed a fee believed to be in excess of £10m during the January 2023 transfer window. After a slow start to life at the Vitality Stadium, Semenyo clicked into gear last season as he scored eight goals and provided two assists in 36 appearances and he has taken that momentum into the current campaign.
His performances over the first three months of the season have led to speculation over a possible move to the likes of Newcastle United and, ironically, Arsenal and Spurs, two of the clubs that rejected him as a youngster. In a recent interview, Semenyo has reflected on the path his career has taken since he was rejected following trial periods in his teens and revealed the experience still motivates his to this day.
"As a 15- or 16-year-old, you don't know how to cope with your emotions - being so high, being so upset all the time," Semenyo told Football Focus. “I did have a lot of doubts but I had positive parents. They always told me life's not always going to be roses. They are all experiences that you have to go through. But it’s definitely helped me and motivated me to this day."