By now a lot of Arsenal fans would have lost count of the number of players we have been linked with in the past five months. The truth about transfer rumours is that nothing should be taken seriously until parties involved have made official pronouncements. One name that recently made an entry into the long lists of players being linked with a move to Arsenal is Ivory Coast international and Swansea striker Wilfried Bony.
The 25 year old Ivory Coast international signed for Swansea in the last summer transfer, and has had a wonderful first season, scoring eighteen goals in all competitions. His goal returns is quite impressive considering the fact that this is just his first season in England.
Bony may not have the kind of international and club profile that a player like Benzema has, but his records right from his term at Vitesse Amhem speak volume of his qualities. Both players have been linked with a move to Arsenal, but the possibility of signing the two strikers is less than 1%. Wenger might not even sign either of them, which is another big possibilities. However, my preference will always be Bony for a number of reasons.
- Bony is Premiership ready- the Ivory Coast international proved all doubters wrong when he hit the ground running after signing for Swansea last summer. Bony scored 18 goals in 35 appearances, and provided 5 assists for his club. For a player playing only his first season in a highly competitive English League, things can only get better.
- Bony won’t bring unhealthy rivalry with Giroud- signing the Swansea forward won’t lead to any unhealthy rivalry with current Arsenal forward Olivier Giroud since they are both from different countries. Wenger once expressed his fear about having Benzema and Giroud in the same team.
- Bony is more affordable- The Express reports that Swansea have placed a £25 Million price tag on the 25 year old striker. While this is not confirmed yet, it is relatively cheaper than a Benzema whose market value is put at around £40 Million. Besides, Arsenal can still negotiate a lower fee for Bony.
- Bony is easier to ‘sign’- considering how tricky things can be when negotiating transfer deals with Madrid President Florentino Perez, Arsenal are better off avoiding Benzema since we might waste a lot of time trying to sign. Swansea on the other hand may not pose such a problem.
Who do you think Arsenal should sign?
