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Wilfried Bony's debut for new club lasts just 26 minutes as TV presenter's brutal prediction comes true

The former Swansea City striker endured a tough start to life with his new club

Wilfried Bony of NEC Nijmegen

Wilfried Bony's NEC Nijmegen debut lasted just 26 minutes as he was forced off prematurely after sustaining a hamstring injury.


The former Swansea City striker joined the Dutch outfit in January on a short-term deal that runs through until the end of the current campaign.


He was listed among the substitutes for his new club's KNVB Cup quarter-final contest with the Go Ahead Eagles on Thursday night.


With his side trailing 2-0, Bony was handed his maiden appearance for the club on 60 minutes.

However, he had to be withdrawn in the 86th minute after suffering yet another injury.

After Bony's switch to the Netherlands, ESPN pundit Cristian Willaert admitted - despite the club's insistence that the 33-year-old was fit - he had serious concerns over the frontman's injury record.

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"You hear all these stories about players training for themselves and being so fit," he said.

"Usually it takes a month before they can play, they're brought in two times, their hamstring is torn and then you don't see them for the rest of the year.

"NEC says that that's absolute not the case and that he's really fit. They expect a lot from him."


Bony became a Premier League sensation after netting 34 goals in 70 appearances in his initial 18-month spell with the Swans before joining Manchester City in January 2015.

He returned to the club in 2017 but was plagued by injuries that ultimately led to him being released in 2019 after scoring just four times in 25 outings.


Following his move to Nijmegen, Bony paid tribute to Newport County for helping him keep fit during his time as a free agent.

His move to the Gelderland province was initially met with criticism from some supporters who were unhappy that the club were signing someone who previously played for their fierce rivals Vitesse Arnhem.

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