5 most disastrous January signings in Premier League history

#4 Wilfried Bony – Swansea City to Manchester City (2015)

Wilfried Bony's goalscoring form abandoned him at Manchester City

Ivorian striker Wilfried Bony joined Swansea City in the summer of 2013 and promptly became one of the Premier League’s most prolific scorers, bagging 16 in his debut season and then opening his second campaign at the club with another 9. That meant that bigger clubs were always going to be looking at him, and sure enough, he made a big money move in January 2015.

Manchester City was his destination, with the reigning Premier League champions paying £28m for him, making the striker the most expensive African player in football history. After returning from the African Cup of Nations, Bony made his City debut in February 2015, and ended 2014-15 with 2 goals in 10 Premier League games, most of them from the bench.

The following season saw him given more of a chance at the Etihad – but things just didn’t work out, as Bony scored just 4 goals in 26 league appearances, including 13 starts. It seemed he’d lost his goalscoring touch entirely, and when Pep Guardiola arrived at the club as boss in the summer of 2016, the Ivorian was immediately made available for a transfer.

He moved to Stoke City on a season-long loan that summer – and was never able to regain the form he initially showed for Swansea prior to him leaving England in January 2018. As of writing, Bony remains a free agent with no club.

About the author

Scott is a veteran MMA writer with over two decades of experience, including his ongoing tenure in Sportskeeda, which began seven years ago. He has written over 3000 pieces for the organization, while also covering football. Before joining Sportskeeda, Scott wrote articles for websites like The Oratory and Inside Pulse MMA.

Scott has a degree in history, which drives his research skills and helps him compile accurate information. His long stint in the field helps Scott provide a clear take on important topics, such as the criticism of promotions regarding fighter pay. While he feels fighters deserve a bigger revenue share, he doesn’t want MMA to suffer with purse-split issues.

Scott’s work has been previously reshared by the former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. He uses credible sources, such as the UFC’s official website, during the writing process.

His dedication to MMA writing won him the Feature Writer of the Month award for Sportskeeda in November 2021.

Outside of work, Scott likes to go to the gym, walk his dog, and travel.

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Edited by Prasen Moudgal