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Wilfried Bony is set to say his Swansea City goodbyes, leaving a trail of defenders and goals in his wake – not to mention a potential £30m cheque courtesy of Manchester City.

His statistics and showings of strength and skill have suggested he’s easily worth it, with the indomitable Ivorian one of the best players ever to pull on the white shirt.

He follows a long line of foreign stars to have graced the Vetch and the Liberty with great success and influence. Some have been cult heroes such as Reggae Boy Walter Boyd while others such as current aces Lukasz Fabianski, Federico Fernandez and Jefferson Montero still have the chance to force their way into the best-ever imports. The likes of Jordi Lopez, Alvaro Vazquez and Itay Schecter, less so.

So where does Bony rank in terms of the best overseas aces at Swansea City? Here, in the pictures below, is our countdown from 10 to 1

Pictures: The greatest foreign signings in Swansea City history

More: 21 Swansea City transfers that should never have happened

10:Angel Rangel

Spotted by accident when he impressed Kevin Reeves in a game he was scouting a striker, his £15,000 move from the lower Spanish leagues has to go down as one of the Swans’ best ever bargains. Made the right-back spot his own since arriving in 2007 and has looked a class act in League One, the Championship and the top-flight.

9:Roberto Martinez

If this was on influence alone, the midfielder who went from survival-securing El Capitano to philosophy steering El Gaffer would be way, way out in front. But he wasn’t exactly a bad player either, signed first on loan then on a free from Walsall and showing he was far too good for League Two with his calm and composed playmaking.

8: Jason Scotland

The Soca Warrior was signed to play alongside Lee Trundle only to then go it alone as the Swans’ first solo striker. His £25,000 move from St Johnstone began to look more and more like a bargain with every goal. Hit a stunning goal every other game – 45 in 90 – to help the club to a record-breaking promotion and a play-off push in the Championship before Martinez took him to Wigan for £2m.

7: Michel Vorm

Willy Gueret was a fan favourite in the lower leagues, Dorus de Vries the distribution expert in the Rodgers years but it’s the penalty-killing cat that gets the nod. Took the breath away with his agility in that first Premier League year. Few goalkeepers will ever get man of the match on a 4-0 debut defeat but that was Vorm. Class in gloves at his best.

6: Gylfi Sigurdsson

While Ki Sung-Yueng still has a chance to make the list, the Iceman’s form over two Swansea periods makes him an easy pick. The king of the assist and not shy of a goal or two, he helped seal safety first time around and has inspired a top-half push on his return from Spurs. Bony will miss his passes at the Etihad.

5: Ante Rajkovic

“Had the touch of a midfielder but also the strength that made him a great defender. If he was playing nowadays I can only guess how much he would be worth because he had everything you want from a player.” Who are we to argue with the verdict of the legend Alan Curtis?

4: Jimmy Hadziabdic

You can’t have one without the other. A player who the North Bank loved and who loved to leave an ooze of continental class on the touchline in front of it. A full-back ahead of his time who summed up the talent in John Toshack’s team.

More:The amazing story of Jimmy Hadziabdic

3: Michu

Still a Swansea player and may yet avoid going down as a one-season wonder, but what a season. It’s easy to forget just how good he was in his pomp, earning a call-up for world champions Spain thanks to his deadly finishing and knack of finding the perfect run into the box. The lack of back-lift in some of his arrowed shots was a sight to behold.

2: Ferrie Bodde

The Evil Genius. The fact he never got to grace the highest stage remains a great shame. One of the most talented individuals to be seen in a Swans shirt, a mixture of psycho- style tackling and a passing ability that appeared to have its own sat-nav. Oh, and he could hit them, as anyone at Preston could testify.

1: Wilfried Bony

The deft touch of a ballet dancer, the strength of a rhino and a venomous shot to go with ice-cold finishing that suited his Daddy Cool moniker. Few strikers have the skill set of the £30m man. Swansea have never seen the like – and they might not ever again.