Wilfried Bony has claimed that the key to forcing his way into Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola's plans is to enjoy an injury-free campaign.

The Ivory Coast international is back at the Etihad Stadium following a season on loan at Stoke City, where he registered just two goals during a disappointing spell.

Bony is confident that he has the quality to challenge for a place at City this term, however, putting his past failures down to a lack of playing time due to a succession of injury and fitness concerns.

"When I was at City, I never passed one month without an injury," he told The Sun. "There was always something. I had never been injured like this since I started playing football. Never. It was a bad moment. It was malaria first, which is why I did not go to Indonesia with the team in pre-season.

"I trained and was first in Marbella with my personal coach. We realised I had malaria so we couldn't train how we wanted. Then we came to the UK and the tests showed everything had gone but I didn't go to Indonesia as it was too hot there and they said maybe I could get it again. So I stayed and continued training with the second team.

"When the team returned, we went to Germany to play against Stuttgart and there my finger was broken. They asked me if I wanted an operation but I said 'no' as the season was starting in two weeks. So I played all season with it. That season my body was suffering, then it was complicated for me to stay.

"There was the hamstring against Juventus. Against Barca I had a foot broken. I got caught by my own player in training, Vincent [Kompany]! This is football, there are ups and downs and I believe I have passed my difficult time."

Bony was previously a big hit during his first taste of English football at Swansea City, scoring 18 league goals in 2014 to attract big-name suitors.