Swansea City: Wilfried Bony signs contract extension

Wilfried Bony scored two goals for Ivory Coast during the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil.

Swansea striker Wilfried Bony has signed a one-year extension to his contract with the Premier League club.

The new deal could keep the 25-year-old Ivory Coast international at the Liberty Stadium until 2018.

Bony scored 25 goals in his first season after signing for a club record £12m from Dutch side Vitesse Arnhem, and has netted four times this season.

"It's great news for the club," said manager Garry Monk, whose side are fifth in the table.

As the announcement was made in Swansea, Bony was helping Ivory Coast reach the finals of the 2015 African Nations Cup.

He came on at the start of the second half of the 0-0 draw with Cameroon in the Ivorian capital Adidjan.

That result means Swansea are likely to be without the striker when the finals take place in January and February next year.

But Monk was delighted to secure Bony's signature.

"I've spoken a lot about what Bony has brought to the club not just on the pitch but off it as well," he added.

"These types of players are ones that we do our best to keep at the club for a long time. But it's also important that we see commitment from that player towards the club, his team-mates and the fans.

"Bony has shown that he is very committed to this club by signing an extension here."

Bony has scored a total of 20 goals for the Swans in the Premier League - a club record he shares with Spanish midfielder Michu.

He scored twice for the Ivory Coast at the 2014 World Cup finals and was the subject of transfer speculation during the close season.

Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham were all reported to be interested in Bony, but Monk insisted the striker was not for sale.

Former Swansea and Wales wing Leighton James welcomed the news.

"It's fantastic news. After the performance and the result against Arsenal ... this some of the best news fans of Swansea City could have wished for," he said.

"If you stop and think 12 months ago virtually everybody - myself included - had doubts if he would make it, but those doubts were dispelled totally.

"He had a summer away lot of players from World Cup haven't hit the ground running this season."

Wilfried Bony in action against Cameroon on 19 November. The 0-0 draw saw Ivory Coast qualify for the 2015 African Cup of Nations which means the striker is likely to miss part of Swansea's Premier League campaign when the finals take place from 17 January to 8 February.