Wilfried Bony: Swansea complete club-record £12m signing

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Wilfried Bony in action for Vitesse Arnhem

Swansea City have completed the club-record signing of Wilfried Bony from Dutch top-flight side Vitesse Arnhem for £12m, subject to a work permit.

Striker Bony, who has signed a four-year contract, scored 31 goals in 30 league appearances last season.

West Ham also made an offer for the 24-year-old Ivory Coast international but Swansea won the race for his signature with a higher bid.

He said: "I've wanted to play in the Premier League for a long time."

Bony becomes Swansea's seventh permanent summer signing.

The Premier League club have also recruited Jonjo Shelvey from Liverpool, Alejandro Pozuelo and Jose Canas from Real Betis, Jordi Amat from Espanyol, Gregor Zabret from NK Domzale and Alex Gogic from Olympiakos.

Midfielder Jonathan de Guzman has also rejoined the club on a season-long loan from Villarreal.

The investment in the squad is a show of support for manager Michael Laudrup, who had said the Liberty Stadium outfit would have to strengthen for the 2013-14 campaign to build on last season's success.

Swansea won the Capital One Cup - beating Liverpool and Chelsea on the way to lifting the trophy - to qualify for the Europa League and finished ninth in the Premier League table.

Bony's arrival - in a deal that could rise depending on add-ons - is intended to take some of the pressure for goals off Swansea's Spanish attacker Michu, who scored 22 times for the club last season.

The pacy and powerful Bony was named Dutch footballer of the year for 2012-13 and had spells at Issia Wazi, in his homeland, and Sparta Prague before joining Vitesse Arnhem in January 2011.

He spent a brief period on trial at Liverpool in 2007 but failed to earn a contract.

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241 comments

  • Comment posted by U15525605, at 14:02 11 Jul 2013

    The man is an absolute force on Football Manager - I would strongly advise Laudrup to play him as a poacher with a duty of attack.

  • Comment posted by grahame, at 16:11 11 Jul 2013

    Wow, not so long ago, Swansea were in danger of dropping out of league football, what a turnaround. If you had told a Swans fan then they would be buying £12m players, they would have thought you were nuts. Congratulations to all those involved in the long haul back to the big league including Martinez, Rodgers and definitely Laudrup,not forgetting the chairman, altogether, a fabulous achievement

  • Comment posted by jemimah, at 15:27 11 Jul 2013

    14:

    apparently this is the second time laudrup's bought him, the first time he forgot to save and it crashed

  • Comment posted by MCFC_TID, at 13:54 11 Jul 2013

    Good signing, good luck for this year Swans!

  • Comment posted by birch123, at 15:03 11 Jul 2013

    Vitesse 2012-2013 - 31 Goals in 30 Matches.

    Incredible stats, especially considering he's still fairly young. I'm not a Swansea fan, but I'm impressed by their rise up the leagues and some of the signings they've made for bargain prices. The attractive football that they play only adds to their likeability.

  • Comment posted by U7364299, at 14:40 11 Jul 2013

    44.
    Astles forehead
    3 Minutes ago

    Crikey, big money for a club with no turnover or fanbase! Best of luck with administration.........

    So £45,000,000 is no turnover? MUPPET! Swansea are one of the few teams with no debt - watch out for the Cardiff Redbirds - massively in debt and paying huge fees for lesser players!

  • Comment posted by TJH, at 14:24 11 Jul 2013

    I think oppositions really need to take notice of Swansea this season.

    If Bony is even half as good as Michu the two of them up front together can cause real damage.

    It will be great seeing them in the Europa league, showcasing their football in Europe.

  • Comment posted by AstonVillan, at 14:15 11 Jul 2013

    This looks like a coup for Swansea - I hope he does well and sticks with them, because they're a club which I genuinely have respect for!

  • Comment posted by U15614535, at 14:48 11 Jul 2013

    @44 Utterly clueless comment, nice one. Swans have mastered basic arithmetic, unlike many numpty-run clubs who cant pay their bills on time, jeez.

    Transfer campaign going well, midfield nicely stacked now: Britton, Ki, DeGuz, Jonjo, Canas, Pozuelho. Just need another good winger to supplement Pablo, Routledge and Dyer, plus back-up at centre forward and right back, and we're done.

    Onward Swans!

  • Comment posted by U15419156, at 16:26 11 Jul 2013

    I can't understand why some folk are questioning where Swansea got the money from? They play in the Prem, there are more televised games next year than ever, they're very well run & they won the cup. There's your answer! Of the 80m (or whatever) they earned for being in the Prem, they've spent 20m on players. Why is that so odd? Good business for the Swans & good luck to them! Bony looks class!

  • Comment posted by DoNweirO666, at 16:16 11 Jul 2013

    carroll = 35 mil
    downing = 18 mil
    zaha = 17 mil
    shelvy = 5 mil
    torres = 50 mil

    trust me 12 mil is not a lot for Bony.

  • Comment posted by Huh-InsertQuestionMark, at 14:42 11 Jul 2013

    Really feel this is a fantastic signing for Swansea, brilliant to see them looking to build on last year and the year before under BR. Apparently Bony had a trial as a 17 year old with LFC, if he does well (which he definitely looks like having the attributes to) he could make us rue a missed opportunity. Really looking forward to seeing the Swans this season!

  • Comment posted by U2180208, at 14:21 11 Jul 2013

    Not surprising considering the premium on British players.

    27.
    solidgold
    1 Minute ago

    7 signings only 1 englishman. says it all.

  • Comment posted by Rinky Dinky Do, at 14:04 11 Jul 2013

    Definitely a striker worth having a £12M punt on, his goals per game ratio speaks for itself.
    I think the Swans have made some sensible signings and will be a threat to most teams in the EPL this season.

  • Comment posted by U15787059, at 16:41 11 Jul 2013

    I'm very excited to see how this pans out. Swansea are definitely my "second team".

    With their rise in the prem (resulting in more air time) and increased TV revenue, they can more than afford this. To say otherwise is embarrassing.

    12m is a bargain. Proven in the PL or not, Bony is not going to forget how to hit a ball. Swansea's passing and setup will give him all the delivery he needs.

  • Comment posted by U15787010, at 15:57 11 Jul 2013

    The directors are local fans, the supporters trust owns 20% of the club & all profits are ploughed back into the club, not lining shareholders pockets. A state of the art new training ground is being built, a youth academy & plans are in the pipeline to develop the stadium to 34,000, in three tranches.

    Swansea the Welsh Barcelona

  • Comment posted by U15642707, at 15:06 11 Jul 2013

    Laudrup is doing well at Swansea.

    Once rodgers, pascoe and allen were gone, Swansea won their 1st ever major trophy and qualified for Europe.

    Swansea will need to stregthen as they saw what happened to NUFC in the league whilst playing on Thursday nights.

  • Comment posted by U7364299, at 15:01 11 Jul 2013

    57.
    CaptainFantastic
    3 Minutes ago

    49.notabelieva
    6 Minutes ago ----------- Bet you wouldn't say that in Cardiff though would you. Doubt that very much.

    Why wouldn't I say it in Cardiff??? Please share some of your waccy baccy with the rest of us because it is really altering your perception of reality!

  • Comment posted by U15676726, at 14:01 11 Jul 2013

    My brother loves Ivory Coast. And one of his favourite players in Bony. I haven't seen him play but 12m for him, should make him really good and maybe even 'a good buy.'

    Good luck Swansea Bony, we wish you the best we can. (Though I'm not a Swansea fan - well a bit.)

  • Comment posted by U15725605, at 13:55 11 Jul 2013

    Excellent signing.

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