Arsenal have reportedly opened talks with AC Milan striker over a potential deal for striker Carlos Bacca, according to reports in the Sun.
The Colombia international has been in fine form this season having scored six goals and assisting two in Serie A in just 13 appearances.
The report in the Sun states that Arsene Wenger is lining up a £20 million move for Bacca in the January transfer window and the talks regarding the same have already began, while also claiming that the Gunners boss is a fan of the striker and even attempted to sign him last year prior to his switch from Sevilla to Milan.
The 30-year-old has fallen out of favour with Milan boss Vincenzo Montella for returning to Seville and training with his old team-mates in November instead of attending a Milan game. The Colombian has two-and-a-half years left on his existing contract.
While signing Bacca would make a statement that Wenger is willing to strengthen after the club’s good start to the season, it is unlikely the boss would revert to playing Sanchez on the wings again having watched him play so effectively at the centre of the the Gunners attack.
Sanchez has majorly played through the middle this season and the North London club also have the option of Giroud’s aerial ability off the substitutes’ bench, but the Frenchman and his fellow backups have struggled for fitness as he, Danny Welbeck and Lucas Perez have all been unavailable at times.
Bacca himself prefers to play centrally, so unless Wenger alters his tactics or Sanchez picks up an injury, the Milan man would probably have to settle for making an impact off the bench.
At the age of 30, Bacca might not be keen to play second fiddle to the younger Sanchez. A £20 million fee would not represent a massive financial gamble for Wenger to add him to the squad, despite the manager’s well-known prudent nature.
But at that price, Wenger is also likely to face competition from fellow Premier League clubs who would be able to offer him more regular first-team action.
With Welbeck and Perez both expected to be back fit in the New Year, a move for Bacca looks very unlikely unless Wenger is looking to sell one of his existing strikers.
