Gonzalo Higuain breakthrough close as Chelsea transfer hinges on AC Milan business
Chelsea were this morning hoping for a breakthrough in Gonzalo Higuain’s loan move from Juventus.
The Blues have agreed a season-long deal — with the option of a further 12 months — for the 31-year-old Argentina striker but the move is dependent on AC Milan signing Genoa’s Krzysztof Piatek.
Higuain is currently on loan from Juventus and Milan will not release him until they have secured a replacement. Genoa and Milan were due to meet today to finalise the Pole’s transfer, thought to be worth more than £30million, after which Chelsea hoped to be able to complete formalities with Higuain.
As of this morning, Higuain was not expected in London today but the deal could be completed quickly once Chelsea receive the green light from Italy. The Blues must register Higuain before midday tomorrow in order to play him against Tottenham in Thursday’s Carabao Cup semi-final, second leg at Stamford Bridge, in which they trail 1-0.
Higuain’s likely arrival will pave the way for Alvaro Morata to join Atletico Madrid on loan until the end of the season, with an option to make the move permanent, as the dominoes fall into place for Blues boss Maurizio Sarri.
Higuain equalled a Serie A record for goals scored in a season under Sarri, hitting 36 for Napoli in 2015-16, and his arrival should free up Eden Hazard to return to the left wing after a spell playing as a false nine.
Hazard has admitted he frustrates all his managers, including Sarri, because the needs to “do more” but suggested he will not change his style.
“I didn’t just frustrate [former Chelsea boss Antonio] Conte,” Hazard told France Football. “In my career, I’ve frustrated all my coaches. And with Sarri, once again, I frustrate him. I frustrated Mourinho. They think that I need to mark more, do more of this and more of that. And the next coach that I have, I’ll frustrate him as well.”
On his future, Hazard admitted he could yet remain at Chelsea, despite Real Madrid’s desire to sign him in the summer. “I have won everything in England, apart from the Community Shield, but that doesn’t mean that I’m leaving,” he said. “I have always said that I wanted to explore something different after England. But there are also things that might make me stay.
“After the World Cup, I wanted to leave, but in the end I stayed at Chelsea and I’m playing one of best seasons so far. So I don’t think that I need a different challenge but that doesn’t mean that I will become better.”
