Red top had reported the Swans were looking to move Bony on following continued speculation - club describe these claims as "farcical"
You've got to love the audacity of the tabloids. Slow news day? No problem! The Daily Mirror claimed two days ago that the Swans were willing to waive a release clause (the details of which no-one is certain of - that's a good start to a story) and sell Bony, and had gone as far as contacting suitable clubs to see if they were interested.
Now, ignore all the repeated statements from the Swans this summer that Bony isn't for sale unless a staggering offer comes in. Ignore too the lack of quotes from Bony which indicate he's "desperate" for a move, as some have claimed. Just think about the main claim in the article - that the Swans were willing to waive a release clause which is generally agreed as being a lot lower than it should be - to sell a player who isn't really short on suitors. Why the HELL would any club adopt that policy this close to the new season? Pull the other one.
Unremarkably, aside from copycat reports in other media outlets this story hasn't gathered any pace since. I doubt there's much in this, and a spokesman from the Swans described the claims as "farcical", indicating that the club aren't too impressed with the story either.
I for one can't wait for the transfer window to slam shut now, as the impact this kind of speculation has on a player's psychological wellbeing is undoubtedly massive. Surely something has to be done to curb the way certain papers "report" news? It's such a complex issue though, where do you start? There has been a lot more attention on media practices of late due to the phone hacking scandal & the "fake Sheik" sting, and I do feel they currently get away with a lot more than they should do.
I'm aware of an irony here - that I regularly comment on and speculate on rumours myself. I'd like to think though that if something is a rumour, I state that. I don't claim to have insider knowledge (well, I did once and that backfired...), and I'm honest. Rumours are rumours, facts are facts and that's the way it should be. Unfortunately, there are plenty of reporters who don't have that view.
Whether we have to endure much more speculation surrounding the future of Wilfried Bony before the season kicks off is debatable, but until Spurs & Liverpool make their mind up with regards to who they want up front it's almost inevitable we'll have to deal with further reports that Bony "has itchy feet", "has been seen house-hunting in North London" and god knows what else.
That is most definitely one part of modern football I could definitely do without.