Another day, another striker linked with the Hammers. This time, Colombian scoring sensation Carlos Bacca is the latest name that has attracted interest from West Ham, with the striker rumoured to be available for a fee of around €25 million (£19 million).
The AC Milan forward has been in fine form this season, scoring 18 league goals for the Rossoneri in a disappointing campaign for the club as they could only finish 7th despite having higher aspirations.
It’s no secret that West Ham are in the market for a prolific goal scorer and Bacca is a forward that has scored goals at every club he has played for. The only issue for some fans is his age; he will turn 30 at the beginning of the new Premier League season.
Although it can sometimes be a bit of a gamble paying big money for an older player, West Ham are now in a position where they don’t necessarily need to purchase a player that has a good resale value. Dimitri Payet is 29-years-old and is by far one of West Ham’s best ever signings. Therefore, surely it’s better to invest in an older player that is going to produce the goods straight away rather than always worrying about snapping up younger players?
Bacca has performed on big European stages, scoring a penalty in the shootout victory over Benfica in the 2014 Europa League final and then scoring a double against Dnipro to clinch the cup once again the following year.
The likes of Diafra Sakho and Enner Valencia have been linked with the exit door, with the latest rumour suggesting that Sam Allardyce’s Sunderland are willing to pay £10 million for Sakho. If both strikers depart the club, £19 million for one of Europe’s most reliable goalscorers is really not a lot of money these days.
Some fans may recall David Sullivan telling Sky Sports in West Ham’s final home game that he was looking for players to deliver the goods right here right now, as football is a business where results and improvements are needed quickly. If you allow too much time to develop or improve, you can end up being left behind.
As a result of this, the Hammers won’t shy away from a player if he is over a particular age. If he is good enough and not too expensive, the club will have a striker that will deliver goals which is something the Hammers desperately need. West Ham really hit the jackpot with Dimitri Payet, there’s no reason why the Hammers cannot repeat a similar feat with an experienced and gifted striker.
