Express & Star

West Brom are boosted in Wilfried Bony race

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West Brom target Wilfried Bony today admitted he would relish a move to the Premier League.

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The 24-year-old Ivory Coast international revealed England is his preferred destination in the summer.

West Brom are one of a number of Premier League clubs to enquire about the Vitesse Arnhem forward, although the Dutch club's asking price could put him out of the Baggies' reach.

Bony is the top scorer in the Dutch Eredivisie with 31 goals this season and Chelsea and Liverpool have been linked with him, along with West Ham and the Baggies.

He said: "The transfer market has not started yet so there's nothing concrete.

"There is a lot of talk about me in the newspapers but I'm still focused on the last two games of the season with Vitesse and at the end of the season we will see.

"I've heard the rumours but there's nothing concrete. I'm very interested in the Premier League and the atmosphere in England, it's a wonderful league and we will see what happens.

"The Premier League is the top league in Europe, but the Bundesliga is also good. France, Italy and Spain, they're good too but England would be perfect."

However, Bony has admitted he would ideally favour a move to a club in the Champions League.

He said: "It would be great for me. It's the only competition I haven't played in yet."

West Brom have expressed an interest in Bony but they accept a summer auction for his services could push him out of their price range. The Baggies' frontline looks set for an overhaul in the summer.

Record Premier League goalscorer Peter Odemwingie is among those expected to leave the club following his highly-publicised fall-out with officials over his January transfer request.

Marc-Antoine Fortune is out of contract and is yet to be offered a new deal by the Baggies, while Chelsea have yet to decide whether Romelu Lukaku will be loaned out next season.

Sweden international Markus Rosenberg's future is in doubt after he failed to make an impact following his free transfer move from Werder Bremen last summer.