Bristol City plot move to sign free agent Wilfried Bony

By Pete O'Rourke, Transfer Correspondent

7th Oct, 2019 | 2:46pm

Bristol City plot swoop to sign free agent with 52 goals in England - Sources

Bristol City are plotting a move to sign former Swansea City striker Wilfried Bony on a free transfer, Football Insider understands.

Robins boss Lee Johnson has been scouring the free agent market as he looks to find a replacement for long-term injury victim Benik Afobe.

A Bristol City source has told Football Insider that Johnson is now hot on the trail of ex-Manchester City striker Bony to bolster his attacking options.

Bony has been a free agent since being released by Swansea at the end of last season.

He had finished the campaign on loan at Qatari side Al-Arabi, where he scored five goals in seven appearances.

The Ivory Coast international was training with League Two Newport County earlier in the summer to maintain his fitness as he looks to fix himself up with a new club.

He is keen to return to the Championship, where he has scored around a quarter of his 52 goals in English football since first arriving in 2013 from Dutch club Vitesse Arnhem.

Bony was so prolific in his first spell at Swansea he earned a £28million transfer to Manchester City in 2015.

Loan signing Afobe is set to miss the rest of the season after he suffered a cruciate knee ligament injury last month and he has returned to parent club Stoke to undergo his rehabilitation.

Bristol City are currently in sixth spot in the Championship, just two points behind current leaders West Bromwich Albion.

In other Bristol City news, it can be REVEALED that Euro big hitters are plotting a SHOCK move to sign Ashton Gate star.