Spanish football journalist and recurring Sky Sports pundit Guillem Balague has confirmed Sevilla forward Carlos Bacca is keen on a switch to the Premier League, with English heavyweights Manchester United and Liverpool reportedly interested in capturing the 28-year-old’s signature.
Coming off the back of an impressive campaign in which he scored 32 goals in all competitions, including two crucial goals to secure his team a second successive Europa League title, Bacca has quickly seen himself emerge as one of the most sought after commodities in European football.
According to Balague, the Colombian is aware of the interest his performances have attracted, and is eager to transfer from last season’s fifth-placed side.
“Carlos Bacca at the end of the season told Sevilla he would like a way out. He likes the idea of coming to the Premier League, of course he has been abroad for a few years and would be happy to continue that progression abroad.”
Sevilla though, would prefer to keep the £21.5 million rated striker, who signed for what now seems a bargain £5 million from Club Brugge in 2013. However, they have admitted they would be willing to negotiate with anybody who meets his release clause.
Liverpool are clearly not placing all their eggs in one basket if speculation is to be believed, with Brendan Rodgers’ side also linked with moves for Christian Benteke and Zenit striker Salomon Rondon to solve last season’s disappointing form in front of goal where they registered only 52 goals.
In contrast, the previous season, they made history by becoming the only club not to win the league after scoring over 100 goals.
Manchester United too, who are supposedly looking to offload Mexican international Javier Hernandez as well as Dutch international Robin van Persie, could also use a striker like Bacca. United boss Louis van Gaal admitted back in February that his team “[did not] have a striker who scores 20 goals.” Expect his name to come up on the live football scores often next season if indeed he does move to the Premier League.
It is also understood that there is competition from an unnamed Italian club for Bacca’s signature, presumably A.C. Milan, who recently admitted to having lost out on fellow Colombian striker Jackson Martinez due to financial restrictions.
