Swansea City has finalized the signing of striker Bafétimbi Gomis on a free transfer from Lyon. The 28-year-old passed his medical having agreed to a four-year deal with the South Wales club. Gomis was sought after by multiple Premier League clubs. The French International has 12 caps for his country but was not selected by manager Didier Deschamps for the World Cup.
Should Wilfried Bony stay at the Liberty Stadium, the Swans could have one of the most formidable strike partnerships in the league. Bony’s stellar play both for Swansea and Ivory Coast could lead to some of Europe’s top clubs seeking his services. The striker scored in two of Ivory Coast’s three World Cup group games but could not prevent the African nation from crashing out of the competition after a 2-1 loss to Greece on June 25.
Meanwhile, the signing of Gomis makes Michu expendable for the Swans. The Spanish striker was a sensation in the 2012-13 season after transferring from Rayo Vallecano in July 2012. In his first season in South Wales he scored 18 league goals.
However, this past season Michu was often injured and the emergence of Bony as one of the top strikers in the Premier League limited his importance even when fit. He struck just twice in the league playing in just 17 league matches.
The Spaniard appears headed to Serie A outfit Napoli pending a medical. The club managed by Rafael Benítez finished third in Italy last season, qualifying for the UEFA Champions League. The lure of Champions League football may be too much for Michu to pass up, while the transfer could give Swansea some additional funds to spend this summer to strengthen the side.
Swansea City fans will get a chance to see Gomis up close during this summer’s US preseason tour where the Swans are scheduled to play 2 matches.
