West Ham’s striker search is beginning to resemble last season’s long search for a new manager, and that is quite all right.
If that is the case, Carlos Bacca will turn out to be the best option for the Hammers. West Ham are reportedly close to signing the Colombian striker.
Bacca may not be the first-choice striker West Ham targeted this summer. For that matter, Bacca may not be the second choice. Yet, the 29-year-old striker will be a hit in East London.
Recall a summer ago. Not just the signing of Dimitri Payet to begin a strong 2015/16 season, but the appointment of manager Slaven Bilic.
Bilic, whose name was far down the list of targets to begin with, ended with the West Ham job after enough paper talk to drive you dizzy.
Linked with Marcelo Bielsa, Rafa Benitez, David Moyes, Unai Emery, Brendan Rodgers, Jurgen Klopp, Frank de Boer – only to write half of the list – West Ham reunited with ex-player Bilic. The Croatian manager had a good record at previous clubs, but no Premier League management experience. There was doubt.
Well, there is no doubt regarding Bilic any longer following a seventh place finish, qualification for the Europa League, the most Premier League goals scored in a campaign, and the most total points tallied.
Third-choice Bacca, with 97 goals in four years, would be a superb signing for West Ham and should bring his prolific 20-goal seasons to the Olympic Stadium with him.
Are there doubts with Bacca? Yes. He’s 29, but he is in top form, and remember, Payet is 29. Has he performed in England before? No, this will be his first move to England, but Bacca has performed whether he is in Belgium, Spain, or Italy.
Twitter: 12/13 Club Brugge: 44 apps, 28 goals
13/14 Sevilla: 52 apps, 21 goals
14/15 Sevilla: 56 apps, 28 goals
15/16 AC Milan: 42 apps, 20 goals (@ReadWestHam)
A goal scored every 143 minutes over his career, Bacca will be a true game-changer for West Ham.
Next summer, Bacca will be coming off of another clinical season and be West Ham’s talisman at striker. Hammers fans will not dwell on missing out on Michy Batshuayi, Alexandre Lacazette, Vincent Janssen, or the whole host of strikers West Ham have been linked with this summer.
