Man City confirm signing of Wilfried Bony from Swansea City

Premier League second-favourites Manchester City (5/2) have confirmed the signing of striker Wilfried Bony from Swansea City for a reported £28m fee.

The prolific Ivory Coast forward, 26, will join compatriot Yaya Toure at the club, but the duo are heading to Equatorial Guinea for the Africa Cup of Nations with their country.

City announced on their official website: “City have completed the signing of Wilfried Bony from Swansea City. The 26-year-old striker has agreed terms on a four-and-a half-year deal which will keep him at the Etihad Stadium until the end of the 2018/19 season.”

Bony, who has been given the number 14 shirt, said: “It’s a great feeling for me, it’s a big honour to be here and it’s a great challenge.

“As a player it’s always good to be part of one of the biggest clubs in the world and it’s a good opportunity for me to be in that situation now – I’m really proud. I felt excited to wait for this moment and now it’s come, it’s fantastic.

“I think it’s a great decision for me – Manchester City is in the Champions League. You remember at the end of last season I said that if I want to move it will be to a team in the competition because it’s a great tournament that I really want to play in and one that I want to win.

“It’s a motivation for me to give my maximum to be in that place. City is a big club with great players with a lot of experience; I believe we can do it.”

Man City’s signing of Bony may suggest that Manuel Pellegrini could let another forward go, with Edin Dzeko, who has fallen down the pecking order and been linked with Stoke City, and injury-hit Stevan Jovetic (a reported target for Juventus) failing to make a big impact this season.

But Bony could also provide cover for fellow prolific striker Sergio Aguero, who has had fitness troubles this term himself. The Ivorian was the top scorer in the Premier League calendar year 2014 with 20 whilst at Swansea, and has fired in goals everywhere he has gone.

Ivorian forward Bony first played in Europe with Czech outfit Sparta Prague (initially on loan), where his performances eared him a move to Vitesse Arnhem in the Netherlands. Then, after 51 goals in 69 appearances for them, he was signed by Swansea in 2013 for a club record £12m.