Antoine Semenyo has offered a candid and detailed assessment of Erling Haaland since joining Manchester City from Bournemouth in January 2026, describing the Norwegian striker as one of the most complete forwards in world football.
Speaking to In The Mixer, brought to you by Sky Bet, the Ghanaian forward did not hold back when asked about sharing a dressing room with the prolific centre-forward. “He’s a big problem. Just in the games, when people mark him; it’s not just one person marking him, it’s like three people,” Semenyo said.
Semenyo highlighted the indirect benefit Haaland’s presence provides to teammates, explaining how the Norwegian’s ability to attract multiple defenders opens up significant space across the pitch. “It’s like (relieved expression) the space for everyone else is fantastic. But he causes so many problems. He’s tall, fast, can finish. (He’s) essentially the complete striker. Anything in the box, he’ll score,” the forward added.
Beyond the goals, Semenyo was keen to draw attention to aspects of Haaland’s game that often go unnoticed by the wider public. “It’s not even just his goalscoring. What he does for the team, not many people see it but he’s so important. Just holding up the ball, bringing players into play, massively important to our game. He can do a lot of things, I’ll give him that,” he continued.
Haaland has been one of the Premier League’s most dominant forces since arriving at Manchester City from Borussia Dortmund in 2022. The Norwegian has consistently ranked among the division’s top scorers across each of his seasons at the club, helping City maintain their status as perennial title contenders.
Semenyo’s comments come at a significant moment in the 2025/26 Premier League season, with Manchester City locked in a title race against Arsenal. Haaland himself has previously pointed to City’s experience of winning trophies as a potential edge in the run-in, while also laying down a clear marker ahead of a title-deciding fixture against the Gunners at the Etihad. City also reached their seventh consecutive FA Cup semifinal earlier in the season after defeating Liverpool.
For Semenyo, adapting to life alongside one of the world’s most feared strikers represents a notable step up from his time at Bournemouth, where he established himself as one of the more effective wide forwards in the Premier League’s mid-table. His perspective as a recent arrival offers a useful outside-in view of how Haaland influences games beyond the metrics that typically dominate headlines.
