Once the most expensive African footballer ever has finally found a new home, and is about to play his first competitive game in over 500 days. Wilfried Bony signed for Manchester City in 2015 for 4 billion Ksh, which was the biggest sum for an African player back then. He was loaned to Stoke City the following year, as new manager Pep Guardiola didn’t need him, before Swansea re-signed him, but for only 1.6 billion. He went to a loan to Al-Arabi before he came back to Swansea, only to be released, as the club was relegated and had to cut costs. Bony finally found a team in January 2020, but in November the same year, he was already without the club, as Al Ittihad announced that they have made a mutual agreement to terminate his contract. And after over a year without a club, the Ivorian ended up in Holland and immediately managed to get fans against him. 📕 | 𝑴𝒚 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚 𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒆𝒕. 𝑨 𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓..#PartOfUsNow #WelkomWilfried pic.twitter.com/qnaHi9Pz7N— N.E.C. Nijmegen (@necnijmegen) January 26, 2022 His last game dates back to September 9, 2020. 505 days ago, but he is about to start a new chapter, as he announced himself, after he signed for NEC Nijmegen. „I think I contacted one guy about coming to Holland here. And then we got in contact with the sporting director Ted van Leeuwen. He told me ‘yes, there is a possibility, I will do everything for you, give me some time and I will talk to my board, and we will see how it is going to be. Personally my goal is to stay fit, to help the team achieve their goal, which is to stay in the league and also fight every game and to see what the season will bring us” he said after the signing.Chelsea doing some AFCON scouting as squad problems pile upBut, fans were not so happy with his arrival. NEC and Vittese are arch-rivals, and the Ivorian signed for Swansea in 2013 from – Vittese. A section of the NEC fanbase raised a banner at the stadium saying “Bony Not Welcome” in reference to his time with Vitesse.”It’s normal, I expect that. This is part of football. I am coming here to do what I love the most which is play football. I’m happy that I will play football, and I’m happy NEC have given me the chance again to play on the pitch and to play football. For the fans I completely understand, this is part of their lives, it’s a part of the game and the most important thing I want them to support the team, that is the focus, and I will try to do the best to reach the goal“ said Bony.
