Wilfried Bony: Swansea striker a target for champions

Manchester City are set to finalise a £30m deal with Swansea for striker Wilfried Bony on Wednesday, according to Sky sources.

The two Premier League clubs opened formal dicussions for the Ivory Coast international to make a January move to the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday, and Sky Sports News HQ's Jim White reports that the deal is "very, very close".

He is also set to finalise personal terms before flying to the Middle East to join up with his country's preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins on January 17 in Equatorial Guinea.

Bony has been highly sought-after both domestically and abroad since his breakthrough season in the Premier League, the 2013-14 campaign, in which he scored 25 goals in 48 appearances in all competitions for the Swans.

Brentford manager Mark Warburton examines where Wilfried Bony will fit into the Manchester City line-up Brentford manager Mark Warburton examines where Wilfried Bony will fit into the Manchester City line-up

Bony's representatives held talks with Liverpool last summer, while Tottenham were among other clubs interested in his services in pre-season, but ideas of a move away broke down amid conflict over a £19m release clause in his contract.

The striker signed a new contract in November which removed that clause, and he has continued to impress this season, scoring nine goals in 22 appearances so far.

Bony began his career in his native Côte d'Ivoire with Issia Wazi before signing for Sparta Prague in 2008, where he scored 27 goals in over 50 games. He moved to Vitesse Arnhem in the Netherlands for £4m in 2011 and scored 51 times in 69 games before the Swans snapped him up for £12m in 2013.

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini recently played down his interest in Bony amid concerns over the club's transfer restrictions under UEFA's financial fair play protocols and the limit on non home-grown players.