Ian Wright hails Brandon Thomas Asante’s incredible journey and backs striker for premiership return

Former England striker Ian Wright has heaped praise on Coventry City forward Brandon Thomas-Asante, drawing a compelling parallel with Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo as he backed the Ghana international to earn a long-awaited move back to the Premier League.

Speaking on a recent football podcast, Wright reflected on Thomas-Asante’s remarkable ascent through the English football pyramid – a path that has taken him from non-league obscurity to a World Cup stage in the space of just a few seasons.

“What I love about it is that it’s the same as Antoine Semenyo,” Wright said. “Semenyo went through it all. He put in the hard work, and it shows how quickly things can change.”

The comparison is apt. Semenyo, now a key figure at AFC Bournemouth and a regular for Ghana, spent time in non-league and Championship loan spells before breaking through at Bristol City. Thomas-Asante’s trajectory mirrors that grit: after starting his senior career with non-league sides like MK Dons (on loan) and Ebbsfleet United, the 26-year-old earned a move to Salford City in League Two, where his prolific form caught the eye of Coventry City in 2022.

Since arriving at the CBS Arena, Thomas-Asante has become a vital cog in Mark Robins’ attack, notching crucial goals in the Championship and helping the Sky Blues push for play-off contention. His consistent displays also earned him a maiden call-up to Ghana’s Black Stars, and he featured at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar – a surreal milestone for a player who was plying his trade in the fifth tier just a few years earlier.

Wright emphasised that Thomas-Asante’s story is far from over. With Coventry regularly challenging among the Championship’s elite and the striker’s stock rising, the former Arsenal and England hitman believes a Premier League return is inevitable – and that it could happen as suddenly as his rise to international football.

“Brandon has been on that journey,” Wright continued. “He worked his way up, and now he’s with Coventry, playing at the World Cup. He’s earned a return to the Premier League, and bam — just like that. You have to hang in there.”

The message, Wright stressed, is one of perseverance. In an era where young players are often written off after a single tough season, Thomas-Asante’s career serves as a reminder that development is rarely linear. The striker’s physicality, aerial prowess and work rate have made him a handful for Championship defences, and scouts from top-flight clubs are reportedly taking note.

With Coventry still in with a shout of promotion, Thomas-Asante may yet secure his Premier League ticket via the play-offs. But even if that route falls short, Wright is adamant that a top-tier club will come calling – and that when the opportunity arrives, the forward will be ready.

“It’s about sticking at it,” Wright added. “Brandon did that, and now he’s reaping the rewards. His story should inspire every player grinding away in the lower leagues.”