Napoli chief opens up about Higuain; Chelsea and United fans will not like it
Apr 14, 2016 at 3:46 PM
A number of English clubs are set for a complete summer overhaul and this might see them fight for a single player in the transfer window.
One such player who is scouted by more than one Premier League franchise is Argentine international Gonzalo Higuain.
The 28-yearold moved to Napoli from Real Madrid in 2013 and has ever since grown on to become one of the best strikers in Europe.
This season, he has been in unplayable form for the Italian side scoring 29 goals in 30 games and has netted 85 goals in 142 appearances for his side since his move from Spain.
He has been consistent over the past couple of years and has seen his price plummet to around £80m for a potential move this summer.
Reports from the Daily Star have revealed that Chelsea are scouting for the 28-year old this summer.
The club is set to be taken over by Antonio Conte at the end of this season and it is understood that the Italian is a long-term admirer of the Argentine who wants him to play for Chelsea next season.
It is also reported that the incoming manager is set to meet the £80m asking price for the player this summer.
However, a source close to the Daily Star also reported that the Red Devils are also interested in the 28-year old.
The club are still unsure as to who will be the manager going into the next season but it is understood that they are keen on adding Higuain to their squad next summer and have already set aside a certain amount of money to meet Napoli’s asking price for the striker.
However, Club president Aurelio De Laurentiis in a recent interview revealed that he has not received any official bids for the player and that he is still a Napoli player next season.
He said: “I have not received offers for Higuain, in principle he will stay with us.”
However, he acknowledged that the 28-year old has a buy-out clause in his contract and that if any club is ready to meet his valuation, they are ready to sell.
“In any case, there is a buyout clause, if offers arrive we will take them into consideration,” he added.
However, he also said that Higuain is not going to move to a small club and revealed that playing in the Champions League is an important ambition for him.
“It also depends on how the championship finishes, because the players have the ambition of playing in the Champions League,” he revealed in a recent interview.
This will come as a blow for both the English clubs who at the moment are not qualified to play in the Champions League next season.
Do you think Napoli will move to Chelsea or United without a chance to play in the Champions League?