Bilic Building Towards Top Four with Bacca Bid
The exploits of Leicester and Tottenham last season will have been a great source of inspiration for all other Premier League clubs. The promised land of the Champions League was starting to feel like a four or five horse race every season, with the biggest and richest battling it out at the top and leaving the rest to fight amongst themselves. But last season proved that money can only get you so far and you need to build a motivated, hardworking team, full of drive and passion.
A new Premier League TV deal means that all the clubs have been given a major boost in transfer funds, so we are certain to have the highest spending summer in history. However, you can look to last season’s table to see who could be the surprise top-four contender this time round, and the leading contender for most, looks like West Ham.
Slaven Bilic enjoyed a very successful first season in charge at The Hammers. The signing of Dimitri Payet was a major catalyst, as the Frenchmen turned out to be an absolute revelation, the signing of the season, leading West Ham to seventh place and Europa League qualification. Lots of clubs who qualify for Europe have struggled domestically the following season, while trying to tackle the rigorous playing and traveling schedule. But Bilic is very experienced in European football and he will know exactly how to handle every situation.
They’ve been busy so far this transfer window, bringing in defensive midfielder, Havard Nordtveit and two attacking midfielders, Sofiane Feghouli and Gokhan Tore. However, West Ham’s striking options look a little limited at the moment, and it’s an area where Bilic seems keen to spend big to strengthen.
Diafra Sakho and Enner Valencia seem surplus to requirements and whilst Andy Carroll is sure to be in the managers plans, his injury problems mean he cannot be trusted to stay fit through an entire campaign. Ashley Fletcher has come in from Manchester United, but he is still very young and doesn’t have any playing experience above League One.
Moves for Alexandre Lacazette and Carlos Tevez don’t seem like realistic possibilities, but there have been reports that West Ham have activated the release clause in Carlos Bacca’s contract, and if the A. C. Milan striker does decide to join West Ham, they could be a real force next season.
Bacca would be a fantastic signing. The 29 year old Colombian has been prolific throughout his career, averaging more than a goal every two games and has won the Europa League twice during his spell at Sevilla. He played every Serie A game last season, scoring 18 goals in an under-performing Milan side, so a move to a progressive team like West Ham could be the best thing for him at this stage in his career.
Colombian strikers haven’t enjoyed the best of times in the Premier League over the last few years, Radamel Falcao being the prime example. But Bacca is very explosive and robust, so should adapt to Premier League life very quickly, and if he can settle in well, he could spearhead West Ham’s assault on the Premier League top-four and ensure the Olympic Stadium will host Champions League football in 2017.
