Three reasons why Tottenham should stay clear of Carlos Bacca

As the January transfer window continues to pump out rumours about players that Tottenham are looking at as potential new recruits, the latest striker to be linked with Spurs is Sevilla’s Carlos Bacca.

The Colombia international has been in fine form for the La Liga side, netting 10 goals in 16 league matches this season, and looks to have attributes suited to English football - powerful physique, eye for goal, good hold-up play etc.
The Mirror claim that Spurs are ready to offload Roberto Soldado in part-exchange, with the North London club reportedly scouting Bacca since the summer.

However, the realistic chances of this happening are few and far between. In addition, Bacca does not fill the profile of a player that Spurs should be targeting - here are three reasons why the Sevilla man won’t be heading to White Hart Lane anytime soon.

Another La Liga striker - with not as impressive a scoring rate as Soldado had

Of the seven players that joined Spurs last summer following Gareth Bale’s departure to Real Madrid, Roberto Soldado arguably generated the most excitement and has since offered the least return.

Despite the Spaniard’s underwhelming stint in English football so far, the former Valencia man was deadly in La Liga before moving to North London.

Soldado hit 24 goals in 33 starts for the Spanish side the season before moving to Spurs, with the three campaigns prior to that all heralding more than 15 La Liga goals apiece.
Bacca may well have hit 14 goals last term and has ten already in 2014-15, but this record in Spain does not necessarily mean that it will translate to the Premier League - as Soldado has shown.

At 28, he is too old
Bacca’s move to Europe came later in his career than most South American players that move here and although he is now scoring on a regular basis in Spain, he is already 28.

By the time he would adjust to life in a new country, club, league and culture, the Colombian would be pushing towards 30 and simply does not provide much longevity or long-term thinking.

With Daniel Levy and the Spurs bean-counters obsessed with signing players with sell-on value, Bacca’s acquisition would be a real surprise given his age.

South American strikers rarely hit the ground running in the Premier League

At the moment the likes of Sergio Aguero, Alexis Sanchez and Brazilian-born Diego Costa may well be performing at the highest level, but in general adjusting to the Premier League takes some doing for South American players.

The afore-mentioned trio arrived in England from top clubs and as international-quality players; Bacca has still only played 18 months in Spain and only has 15 international caps, most of which are as a substitute.

Signing him would take a considerable transfer fee and would represent a huge gamble given the off-field factors that could influence whether or not he would be a success, such as his aptitude to adjust to the climate, language and a completely new environment.
Soldado has clearly found it difficult to acclimatise to English football but at least has 18 months at the club under his belt; starting afresh with another La Liga striker seems foolhardy.

 

Great article this as it picks holes in another nonsense transfer rumour!!
Buying a striker from a foreign league offers little or no guarantees especially from LA liga as we have seen with soldado and Torres( barring Liverpool of course where he played under a Spaniard with many Spanish players coaches physios and a Spanish set up) Negredo Luque Falcao. Other foreigners to struggle crespo sheva rebrov weah all great records and simply flopped. If your gonna go foreign the dutch french and Africans generally settle better but I would go prem proven for benteke or my preferred option of berahino.
The west from man fits the bill more as he a) injects pace over the top whereas benteke is more a target man who would either replace Kane rather than compliment him b) can play a few more positions out wide with versatility being the key reason.
I think although we would all like a big name striker we don't want to see someone come in and replace Kane who can save us millions so a forward who can play wide or as a no 10 whilst playing alongside Kane in certain games or cover him when
Injured or out if form would fit the bill, cover more bases and of course saving money rather than signing a striker AND a winger meaning a new cm and centre half could be addressed. I see big Sam has hinted that Reid could be sold if a premium is met this window rather than leave the summer for free.
Lazcarette of Lyon could be a good option if we do go the foreign route for a striker. He is banging em in this term and his scoring rate is improving each year and fits the bill quick young(sell on fee) and can also play either wing as is Ntep who scored again Saturday.

 

Agree with the guy above me, Lacazette would be a fantastic buy - another Frenchman to go with Lloris from Lyon who could save us. Berahino to me has disaster written over it - if we could get him cheaply, and with the right attitude, sure, maybe, but other than that it would be a huge risk. Also agree we need a striker to compliment Kane, instead of replace him - and then possibly a cover for him. This is clearly a longer term solution, but we could sort this out by promoting some younger players - if there's anyone decent in the u21s scoring, I'd be tempted to give them a shot

 

We have coulthirst obika and koulbilay all promising strikers out on loan but not tearing any trees up but neither did Kane when on loan. Sometimes u need to throw them in the deep end and see if they can swim. Worked for harry he just keeps answering everything asked of him and more. The thing is when loaning players out to lower divisions is its not anything like the style and tempo if the EPL which us where ultimately the boys wanna play or where they have been educated to play!

 

I would be happy if we signed
Bacca (Part ex with soldado) AND Jackson Martinez 25m (columbisn national team strike force) along with Kane that's our strikers , would like to see Dembele converted as a number 10 (_4th striker)

Then our inverted wingers
Erikssen, Lamela, Chadli + Ayew
(Sell Lennon and townsend) maybe try and swap both players + cash for James Mcarthy or moussa sissoko or Schnederlin

Sell Paulinho, Capoue and loan Rabiot

Buy hector Moreno + van djik or munoz

Sell chiriches, Kaboul, Naughton, akotto

Qualify for CL and buy bake back ;-)

 

Would not need time to adapt.talks with his feet.i'm 48.he played 4 us.bruges fc. 25 goals a season and be an instand sensation.u want top 4.he will get u there.top !!!!!!