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Arsenal: Signing Wilfried Bony won’t solve a thing

By Carter Mulvihill

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - APRIL 09: Wilfried Bony of Manchester City gestures during the Barclays Premier League match between Manchester City and West Bromwich Albion at Etihad Stadium on April 9, 2016 in Manchester, England (Photo by Adam Fradgley - AMA/West Bromwich Albion FC via Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - APRIL 09: Wilfried Bony of Manchester City gestures during the Barclays Premier League match between Manchester City and West Bromwich Albion at Etihad Stadium on April 9, 2016 in Manchester, England (Photo by Adam Fradgley - AMA/West Bromwich Albion FC via Getty Images) /
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The latest reports are that Arsenal may sign Manchester City striker Wilfried Bony. Not only would bringing in the Ivorian provide an underwhelming conclusion to a frustrating summer for the club, it wouldn’t even be a fix for the Gunners’ current issues up top.

Wilfried Bony has had a difficult year-and-a-half spell at Manchester City since coming over from Swansea City in January 2015. He’ll almost certainly be gone before the transfer window closes in a few weeks, and the Star reports that Arsenal have targeted him to provide competition at striker this season.

As is the case most years, it’s been a quiet and difficult summer for Arsene Wenger on the transfer market. After striking out with Jamie Vardy, Arsenal have been unable to close a deal on targets such as Alexandre Lacazette, Riyad Mahrez and Mauro Icardi. If the Bony reports are true, then clearly the Gunners have moved on to Plan B when it comes to strikers.

Bony would provide competition for incumbent Olivier Giroud much in the way that the oft-injured Danny Welbeck has in his two years with the club. When Giroud’s inevitable scoring drought occurs, Bony would be a preferable solution to the likes of Theo Walcott or Chuba Akpom. However, Bony, being a decent but far-from-great striker, would struggle as well. Suffice to say, you don’t sign Bony to win the league, you do it to help make sure you eek ahead of Liverpool and Spurs to finish fourth. Sound familiar?

But maybe the Plan B signing is the right route to take for Wenger. After all, Arsenal has a much bigger hole at center back, and signing Shkodran Mustafi should be the top priority for Wenger. If indeed Arsenal bring in Mustafi, it’d be hard to imagine the club springing another £40 million or so on a big-name striker.

Though Arsenal coughing up £30 million for the 27-year-old Bony seems farfetched, the combination of need, urgency and market inflation would justify the fee. Most importantly, a bid of £30 million would be accepted with haste on the other side, as the City would be happy to escape their misguided piece of business with a £5 million profit.

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If Arsenal do sign Bony, the supporters’ complaints won’t go anywhere, and even worse, the player will be on a short leash with the fans if he lacks form. Two years after signing Welbeck out of desperation from a Manchester club, Arsenal may be at it again with Bony, which means fans should prepare to strap in and do this ride two summers from now as well.

With Bony, Arsenal don’t get closer to the elusive league title. He’s not getting any younger or better, and neither is Giroud. Heck, neither is Wenger.

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