Swansea splash out on striker Bony

Ivory Coast international striker Wilfried Bony has joined UEFA Europa League contenders Swansea City AFC for a club-record fee approaching €14m.

The Dutch Player of the Year has brought a protracted deal to a close by signing a four-year contract with Swansea. Bony, 24, moves to Michael Laudrup's side after a prolific two-and-a-half-year spell at Vitesse, where he scored 46 goals in 65 Eredivisie outings, including 31 strikes in 30 games last term as the club finished fourth in the league.

"This move has been talked about for quite some time, so I am delighted it is all completed," said Bony. "Now it is important that I focus my mind on the challenge ahead because I hope to make the Swansea fans very happy. I hope to bring what I know and do the most, which is scoring goals."

Laudrup has been keen to bolster the Swansea squad ahead of the English League Cup holders' upcoming campaign. Bony's arrival follows the capture of Jonjo Shelvey, Jordi Amat, José Cañas, Alejandro Pozuelo and the loan return of Jonathan de Guzmán.