Former Togo captain Emmanuel Adebayor has urged Ghana international Antoine Semenyo to remain patient and trust his ability as he adapts to life at Manchester City.
Adebayor, who has maintained a close relationship with the 26-year-old forward, revealed that Semenyo regularly seeks his advice about handling the demands of playing for one of England’s biggest clubs.
“He always asks me, ‘Big bro, how can I do this? How can I work on this?’ I keep telling him: keep your head on your shoulders, keep working hard and believe in your quality.”
Semenyo joined City from Bournemouth in January 2026 on a five-and-a-half-year contract running until 2031. The move came after he established himself as one of the Premier League’s standout attacking players at Bournemouth.
Adebayor believes the Ghanaian should not allow the scale of the move or the presence of established stars to affect his confidence.
“If Man City bought you, the club had 50 or 100 meetings before deciding to bring you in. You have the talent, so believe in your quality and play without pressure.”
Semenyo’s transfer followed an impressive first half of the 2025/26 Premier League campaign in which he scored 10 goals for Bournemouth. City subsequently secured his signature as their first signing of the January window. The Ghanaian made an immediate impression after arriving at the Etihad, and his first months at the club included a particularly memorable moment in the FA Cup final.
Semenyo scored the only goal in City’s 1-0 victory over Chelsea at Wembley in May, producing a backheel finish from Erling Haaland’s cross to give the club the trophy. It was City’s eighth FA Cup triumph. He finished his first half-season with City with 11 goals in 27 appearances, according to the club’s season review, while also contributing to City’s Carabao Cup success.
‘He Will Get There’
Despite those early achievements, Adebayor believes Semenyo still needs time to fully settle into his new environment.
“He’s new to the Man City squad and playing alongside big players, but he will get there.”
That adjustment has continued into the new campaign. City head coach Enzo Maresca recently praised Semenyo’s contribution both on and off the ball, noting that the Ghanaian had started all five of City’s competitive matches at that stage and had provided assists against Crystal Palace and Coventry.
Semenyo’s own comments since joining City have also emphasised his desire to improve. After completing the move, he said that working under the club’s coaching staff and alongside elite players could take his game to another level.
Adebayor, however, expects the adaptation process eventually to translate into a more prominent role.
“At some point, the tide will turn, and he will become the best and a key player for the team.”
The former Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham forward’s advice comes as Semenyo continues to establish himself within a squad containing several high-profile attacking options.
For the Ghana international, the challenge is now to maintain the qualities that earned him the move to Manchester while adapting to the tactical and competitive demands of life at the Etihad.
And according to Adebayor, the foundation is already there: Semenyo needs to keep working, remain grounded and trust the ability that convinced Manchester City to bring him to the club.
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