Liverpool told to meet £21.5m release clause by Sevilla for Carlos Bacca
Liverpool will need to meet Carlos Bacca’s £21.5m release clause if they want to sign the Sevilla striker, with the player’s agent admitting that the Merseyside club are one of two Premier League clubs interested in the Colombian.
Carlos Bacca, who is currently on duty with Colombia in the Copa America in Chile, is under contract at Sevilla till 2018. He moved to Spain from Club Brugge two years ago, and has won two consecutive Europa Leagues since; scoring 49 goals in 106 appearances for the Andalusian club. He scored 20 goals in 36 league appearances last season, and has been linked with a number of European sides, including Milan and Roma.
Sevilla’s sporting director Monchi admitted that the club will not stop Bacca from moving if his release clause is met, and his words were echoed by the player’s agent Sergio Barila.
Speaking with the Guardian, he said: “We have had lots of interest but so far there has been no official approach. I spoke with Carlos on Wednesday night and we agreed we need a real solution. Clubs are telling him not to sign anything until they have made an offer but we are still waiting. Liverpool and another English club are among those that have shown an interest but there are also clubs in Italy. What is clear is that they must meet the release clause but at this stage nobody has.”
While Barila did mention that the 28-year-old striker could end up staying at Sevilla, he also admitted that Liverpool were on a list of clubs being considered.
"Sevilla are a good team who will play in the Champions League next season so it wouldn't be a disaster to stay," he said. “Carlos has other options to earn a lot of money in places like China or the United Arab Emirates but that would not fit in with what he is looking for.”
“We are really looking at three things -- number one is to have a happy family situation for his wife and son because he had a bad experience in Belgium. The second is to find a good team with a good project. Before he went to Chile, we wrote down a list of clubs that fit that description and Liverpool was on that list. The third question is the contract. He has a good salary in Sevilla, but we know how much clubs in England can pay."
Carlos Bacca was handed a two-match suspension after being sent-off in Colombia’s 1-0 win over Brazil, and will feature again in the Copa America only if Jose Pekerman’s side beat Argentina in the quarterfinal on Friday.