Antoine Semenyo could lead Man City attack to ease overload on Haaland – Maresca

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has hinted that Ghanaian forward Antoine Semenyo could be brought in as a central striker for the upcoming season to share the workload of their star player Erling Haaland. This comes as City prepares to face FC Porto in a UEFA Champions League match, with questions lingering about the club's lack of a designated backup striker following the summer transfer window.

Haaland is anticipated to handle the majority of City's attacking duties this season, leading to Maresca's comments about Semenyo potentially stepping in as a central striker when needed. "At the moment, he's played every minute apart from the Community Shield," Maresca stated. "We need to protect Erling because the season is very long and he's going to have games where he needs to recover."

Depending on the game strategy, Maresca revealed that Semenyo could play as a nine, depending on the circumstances. As City sets its sights on a strong start to their European campaign against FC Porto, Semenyo is expected to be part of the lineup. The forward has had a promising start to the 2026-27 season, contributing two assists in his first three Premier League matches for the champions.