Chelsea must consider signing Antoine Semenyo, says club legend Joe Cole

Chelsea legend Joe Cole has urged his former side to consider AFC Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo.

The Ghana international has emerged as a transfer target for several Premier League clubs following his explosive start to the season.

Semenyo has scored six goals with three assists to his credit in 11 Premier League games so far.

Meanwhile, has been revealed that the 25-year-old has a release clause of £65 million after signing a long-term deal at the club until 2030 in the summer.

Chelsea are well-stocked in wide areas, having signed Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens in the summer, while 18-year-old Estevao has also made an immediate impact.

However, Cole believes his former club Chelsea should make a move for Semenyo and feels the Ghana international would immediately command a starting place in Maresca’s side.

"Knowing Chelsea, he might be too old! I’d have to check his age, but from a football perspective, if he’s available and he wants to come, it’s a no-brainer in terms of bringing him into the football club," Cole said in an exclusive interview with Paddy Power.

"With Chelsea’s model, there’ll be a financial element and evaluation element to it, so it’ll come down to that.

"He’d be a welcome addition to the Chelsea squad, and he probably starts, because he’s been superb for Bournemouth.’

Meanwhile, Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola says he is not concerned about the club potentially being forced to sell Semenyo in the upcoming transfer window.

"We are in November. Antoine is our player; he will continue being our player. In January, you can ask me about the market in January, but right now I’m not worried about the next markets," Iraola said in his press conference on Friday.

"It’s something that especially you know that I hate to talk about in August, January, the moments when the market is open, but it is not one of those moments. It’s November.

"I’m more worried about the situation of the players to play tomorrow, the short-term, the things that really matter and in January, we will talk about whatever happens, the players we need. But it is not something that I’m worried about today."

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