Player analysis: A look at the new AC Milan signing Carlos Bacca

Carlos Bacca will bring his robustness and goalscoring prowess to AC Milan

AC Milan announced last month that they have reached an agreement to sign Sevilla striker Carlos Bacca, subject to a medical. The Italian giants met the buyout clause in his contract that is reported to be set at €30 million.

Let’s take a closer look at the 28-year-old Colombian who will ply his trade in the Serie A next season.

Background

• When he was 20 years old, Carlos was in his hometown of Puerto Colombia on the Caribbean coast. He played football for the local team and had to juggle two jobs to help with the family income – he sold fish and worked as a bus conductor.

• He turned professional when he was 22, joining Colombian side Atletico Junior. Bacca moved to Europe in 2012 with Belgian side Club Brugge, putting pen to paper on a 3-year contract worth €1.5 million for his services.
• Sevilla liked what they saw and bought him for €7 million. He was originally purchased as a squad filler but soon solidified himself as a recognized threat up top, helping the Spanish outfit to back-to-back Europa League trophies.
• Bacca scored 49 in 108 games for Sevilla, including 28 in all competitions last season- including 2 goals in the Europa League final versus Dnipro.

What can he offer AC Milan?

The Rossoneri’s physical presence up front has been lacking, probably ever since the departure Mario Balotelli last summer. The defences in Serie A had nothing to be frightened of – apart from Jeremy Menez who managed to bag 16 league goals.

Bacca has a robust nature about him, an element AC Milan certainly missed last year. A key strength is his movement, his ability to draw defenders and then exploit the space in behind has become one of his signature moves.

Adept at leading the line, or dropping deep to receive the ball before driving deep into the heart of enemy territory, Bacca keeps defences on their toes for the full 90 minutes. AC Milan didn’t splash the cash just for his work rate, the Colombian should offer plenty of goals to Sinisa Mihajlovic’s men too.

Bacca scored his 20 goals from just 59 shots last season, meaning he maintained a conversion rate of nearly 34% – scoring more than one in every three shots. That rate was the best of all attackers in La Liga last season – significantly better than Ronaldo, Messi and Neymar.

With this work rate and intelligence along with a deadly eye for goal, he is certainly a striker to be feared and could be an instant hit in Serie A.