Thursday 31 July 2014 11:47, UK
Club captain Ashley Williams says keeping Wilfried Bony at Swansea City would be 'bigger than getting a new signing'.
Swansea acquired Bony in a club record deal last summer and saw their show of faith in his ability rewarded with 25 goals in all competitions.
Having settled quickly in British football, it is now being suggested that the Ivorian striker could be lured away by a Premier League heavyweight during the current transfer window.
Swansea would demand more than the £12million they paid Vitesse Arnhem for Bony in any agreement, but they are hoping to avoid sanctioning a sale.
Williams is keen for that stance to be maintained, with proven goalscorers a vital commodity to any side harbouring ambitions of being competitive at the very highest level.
He said: "It is very important he stays because he is a very good player, he has come back very focused, the best we have seen him. He is sharp in training and it would be a big boost to keep him.
"It would be bigger than getting a new signing – when you bring a new person in you are not sure how it is going to go.
"I don't make any decisions at the club, but as players we want him to stay and we have told him that.
"We have lost players every summer, that is the nature of football and you have to move on when things happen.
"I don't know what will happen but we want him to stay and he knows we feel that way. He is very popular here.
"He looks sharp and he is so hungry, he wants to score every day and win every game. I am sure that will serve him well."