Football
Dermot Corrigan, Madrid correspondent 9y

Carlos Bacca happy at Sevilla despite interest from Europe

Sevilla striker Carlos Bacca has admitted that he had offers from many clubs in England and elsewhere last summer.

After scoring 18 goals in his first season in Andalucia as Sevilla won the 2013-14 Europa League trophy and finished fifth in the Primera Division, Bacca, 28, was linked with a long list of clubs.

Among those sides were Arsenal, Everton, Newcastle, Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan and Zenit St Petersburg during the most recent transfer window.

No move materialised, however, and Bacca, who has started the new season with four goals in his first seven games in all competitions, told a news conference that he was delighted to have now put pen to paper on a new improved contract at the Estadio Sanchez Pizjuan.

"I am happy with the effort that the club has made with Carlos Bacca," he said. "There was no obligation to do anything, but as they are happy with me I have a pay-rise which I hope to pay back on the pitch.

"There were offers from various clubs in Italy, Spain, many in England, and Germany, some which were good for the club, some for me. But the right offer [for all parties] never arrived and the first option was always Sevilla. The club wanted to count on me, I wanted to stay here, my family likes it here, we are all happy."

The new deal sees Bacca's release clause remain at 30 million euros, and also runs to June 2018, with the Colombia international saying he was very happy with how things had turned out and now fully committed to the rojiblanco cause for the future.

"I do not have an agent, my agent is God, and what I do on the pitch," Bacca said. "There was a lot of interest from clubs and agents who called me, and the club, but my first option was always to stay at Sevilla.

"We have not changed that because we did not see it as necessary, but anyone who wants to sign Carlos Bacca [in future] must pay the release clause. My head is 100 percent in Sevilla, because my family is happy here, and I hope to improve on what we have done."

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