Vitesse Arnhem offer Wilfried Bony a new deal to persuade him to miss the African Nations Cup

Wilfried Bony: Faces decision as to whether to take part in January's African Nations Cup

Vitesse Arnhem will offer striker Wilfried Bony a new contract in the hope of persuading him not only to stay at the club, but also to skip the African Nations Cup in January so that he might fire them into the Champions League.

The 23-year-old Ivory Coast striker is being chased by a string of clubs after an electric start to the season.

He scored his 15th goal of the campaign on Sunday, the winner as Vitesse registered a 2-1 upset of PSV Eindhoven at the Philips Stadion to move within two points of the Eredivisie leaders.

"We have concrete plans to keep Bony on board," general manager Erwin Kasakowski said in De Telegraaf.

"We are already in discussions with his agent."

Bony's existing contract runs until 2015, leaving Vitesse under no pressure to sell as they chase their best league finish since taking third place in 1998.

But reports suggest they have another incentive to talk to Bony now as they are keen not to lose the focal point of their attack when the African Nations Cup begins in January.

"We need to keep the team as strong as possible in the second half of the season, and that includes Bony," Kasakowski added.