Well, South West Wales anyway...
Swansea have just announced that star striker Wilfried Bony has penned an extension to his contract, which now runs until 2018 - news which will undoubtedly have been well received by Swansea City fans in South Wales & beyond.
Bony has become a cult figure at the club, and after announcing himself with a spectacular second half to last season he's looking like a player on the up. Four goals so far this season in nine starts (working out at about 0.5 goals per game when you look at minutes played) is as good a goal return as you'll get out of anyone who isn't Suarez, Messi, Ronaldo or Aguero in a top league in Europe, and the fact that he's obviously capable of performing better in front of goal than he has so far this season leaves you wondering just how good Wilf can be.
“It’s great news for the club. I’ve spoken a lot about what Bony has brought to the club not just on the pitch but off it as well. 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. When we talk about the future and progressing it can’t be just talk – there has to be commitment from myself, the players and the club. Bony has bought into the direction the club wants to take. He is a big player for us so to tie down his future is fantastic news for everyone connected with the club.
“I’m sure the fans will be more than happy with the extension. For them to see a big player, who they have a lot of affection for, tie down his future with their club is something they will thoroughly enjoy hearing about.” Garry Monk
http://www.swanseacity.net/news/article/bony-new-contract-2092368.aspx#zQJGQaRYAZhU45bs.99
Monk is most definitely right - I thoroughly enjoyed hearing this news. Wilf apparently completed the paperwork whilst away on international duty with Ivory Coast, and I can't wait for him to get back and start firing in the goals for us. While we're talking about international duty, Ivory Coast today qualified for the ACON by drawing against Cameroon, so we'll likely be without Wilf in the new year for a good spell, which means Gomis will definitely get a good run in the team too.
In the meantime, we've got Manchester City this weekend, and they're likely to be without their defensive talisman Vincent Kompany. Granted a win is unlikely, but we've already won in Manchester once this season and City are far from the imperious free-scoring side they previously were under Pellegrini.
One last note would be that Wilf's new contract surely doesn't have the kind of release clause which gave us so much bother over the summer. He knows if we get a fair bid we'd let him go, but the beauty of the new contract being signed is we won't be forced into selling below his value.
A value which would increase significantly if he was to score the winner at the Etihad...