Quantcast

Arsenal handed huge boost in pursuit of 36-goal Argentinean hitman

By on June 29, 2016

According to Sky Sports,  Arsenal have been handed a major boost in their pursuit of Gonzalo Higuain after his agent confirmed he won’t be signing a new deal with Napoli.

Higuain has long been linked with a move to Arsenal with our interest reportedly spanning back to when he was with Real Madrid before his move to Naples in 2013.

With Arsene Wenger desperately trying to sign another striker to compete with Olivier Giroud next season, Higuain’s name has predictably been linked in the media once again this summer.

The Argentinean international still has two years left on his contract and Sky Sports claim that Napoli have so far been demanding the full value of his £72m release clause.

However, the news outlet say we’ve now been handed a boost in our pursuit as Higuain’s agent and brother, Nicolas Higuain, has confirmed that the striker has no intention of signing a new deal with Napoli.

“We arrived with a Champions League project, of being champions, of growing, and the response of the company was not the most correct.

“It’s their right to ask for his buyout clause, but we will opt for the path of not renewing the contract and he will be free in 2018.

“In these conditions we are going to respect the contract that we have with Napoli but we are not going to renew it under any circumstances. Gonzalo is super professional and will continue to give the maximum.”

This is a very interesting move from the agent as if Higuain does indeed have no interest in signing an extension then it puts pressure on Napoli to make a decision over his future.

Usually clubs don’t like to see their key players enter the final two years of their contracts as it means his value will drop considerably next summer when he’ll have just 12 months remaining on his deal.

Napoli could therefore decide just to cash-in this summer while Higuain’s value is at it’s highest but the 29-year-old’s agent knows no club will pay the £72m so he’s pressurising the Serie A outfit to lower their asking price by making it clear now that the striker won’t sign a new deal.

Wenger to hold talks with agents of £65m Ligue 1 duo

I’d love to see Arsenal go all-out to sign Higuain as he’s a world class goal-scorer and he’d be a huge upgrade on Giroud. He netted 36 goals in 35 games for Napoli last season so just think how far we could go with a threat like that leading the line next season.

Let’s be honest, we should have signed him back in 2013 so let’s not make the same mistake this summer.