Wanderers slap $1 million price tag on want-away Baccus

Danish Superliga club AGF Aarhus remain determined to land Keanu Baccus during the January transfer window, despite Western Sydney Wanderers slapping what is believed to be a $1 million asking price on the Olyroos midfielder.

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AGF’s football director Peter Christiansen jetted to Sydney to watch Baccus in action just before Christmas, and the Danes believe a valuation closer to the $400,000 mark is a more realistic figure for the ambitious 21-year-old who is currently on international duty for Australia in Thailand at the AFC U-23 Championship.

Baccus has over two years left on his Wanderers contract - having signed a three-year extension last February - and has been one of the few shining lights at Wanderland in what has been an otherwise wretched season for Markus Babbel’s men, hence Wanderers’ reluctance to part with the South African-born linchpin.

However, he is desperate to further his career in Europe and sees joining compatriots Mustafa Amini, Zach Duncan and Alex Gersbach at AGF as a golden opportunity.

Wanderers, though, are playing hardball over the future of a significant asset, and have sought to shut down further negotiations in the expectation that AGF will walk away.

The last time AGF paid in the region of $1 million was in 2012 for Mate Vatsadze who signed for €700,000 ($1.1M AUD). 

In fact, the Danish side hasn't paid a disclosed transfer fee since 2016 when they signed Aleksandar Jovanovic for $347,000 AUD - opting instead for a series of free-transfers and loan deals. 

A UK club have also entered the fray, but if Baccus is to move AGF remain the firm favourites to land the defensive midfielder who believes the best chance of developing his game further lies away from the A-League and a club for whom he made his debut for back in 2016.

He has played in all but one of Wanderers' 12 games this season, embracing his deep-lying role following the exit of brother Kearyn, who joined South Africa’s Kaizer Chiefs earlier this year. 

Wanderers CEO John Tsatsimis did not return calls from The World Game, whilst Baccus’s representatives declined to comment “in the best interests of the player”.