Striker Wilfried Bony Admits Holding Talks Over Swansea City Departure

Swansea City striker Wilfried Bony admits he held talks over leaving the Liberty Stadium during the summer - amid reported interest from Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur - but is now fully focused on returning to form this season.

Bony netted 25 goals in his first season in English football, including games in the Europa League, and was heavily linked with a move away from South Wales during the off-season after playing at the World Cup with Ivory Coast.

Arsenal, Liverpool and Spurs were all reportedly interested in signing the 25-year-old in the summer and although the trio's interest was never substantiated, Bony revealed he held discussions over a departure from Swansea before the transfer window closed on 1 September.

"Now it's over," he told the South Wales Evening Post. "Before we were talking but now it's over so I have to focus on the team.

"There were some chances [that he might leave] but nothing concrete. I waited and nothing happened so now I am just focused on the team.

"My head is OK. I just want to repeat or do better than last season."

Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham's ability to offer Bony European football would likely have acted as a huge incentive to the forward in a summer where all three of the clubs were searching for a new player to lead the line.

Arsene Wenger's search for a new striker to replace Arsenal's Olivier Giroud - who is out until the new year with an injury - saw him eventually sign Danny Welbeck from Manchester United, while Liverpool's desperate attempts to fill the void left by Luis Suarez saw them clinch a deal for Mario Balotelli.

Tottenham were unable to improve their forward line, though, with Emmanuel Adebayor, Roberto Soldado and Harry Kane left to spearhead the club's goal threat this season.

Meanwhile, Bony has so far failed to recapture the form that made him one of the most feared strikers in the Premier League last season, failing to score in three league starts this season before coming on as a substitute in the defeat to Chelsea after returning late from international duty.

But, following a summer where uncertainty reigned over his future, Bony denied the speculation has affected his form.

"We can see from the games I played that the speculation didn't affect me," he said. "I think I have started better than last season.

"The goals are not coming but the team is playing well. I'm not affected and the goals will come."