The opening of the January transfer window is a time of great excitement in the Premier League. Teams who have disappointed in the first part of the season look to strengthen in a desperate bid to avoid relegation to the Championship, while teams at the top of the table look to recruit in order to consolidate their positions. Inevitably some transfers will pay off and will shorten a team’s odds of success but others will be expensive mistakes.
Impressive Record
One man who seems likely to attract a big bid is Swansea City’s Wilfried Bony. The Ivorian, signed from Vitesse Arnhem for £12million in 2013 having finished the 2012-13 season as the Eredivisie’s top scorer, has been a revelation since his arrival at the Liberty Stadium. Despite starting a little slowly, he now averages a goal almost every two league games for the Swans and his 17 Premier League goals in 2014 made him the top division’s leading scorer for the calendar year.
All-Round Game
Aside from being a natural goalscorer, Bony has genuine strength, pace and worries defences when he takes them on. The 26-year-old is an ideal target man but can also act as a foil for those players around him, creating space by holding defenders’ attention and linking up play to bring his colleagues into the game. Newspaper reports suggest that Manchester City and Chelsea are both tracking Bony’s progress but they will have to make a huge offer to tempt Swansea into selling. For City in particular, Bony would be an ideal addition. A proven Premier League goalscorer at the top of his game who could immediately slot into their first team and provide some of the goals that Sergio Aguero’s injury absence has deprived them of.
Ideal Signing
Although not yet a star on the world stage, Bony is an accomplished Premier League player with the potential to step up to the next level. His form, fitness and Premier League experience would make him an ideal January signing if any of the bigger clubs can tempt Swansea City into parting with him.