Arsenal have suffered a blow in their ongoing pursuit of signing Gonzalo Higuain after the striker is edging closer towards completing a move to Juventus.
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Gonzalo Higuain is reportedly on his way to Juventus for a fee of €94.7, according to ESPN FC (via Sky Sports Italia).
The Argentina striker has agreed a five-year deal after his release clause of €90 million was triggered and one would assume that they will need to recoup that huge outlay with a player sale. Juventus have paid his full release clause after Higuain completed his medical in Madrid on Friday.
Higuain’s move to Turin makes Juventus’ grip on Serie A that much tighter, as he becomes the second star player to join the Bianconeri from a direct rival, after Miralem Pjanic’s move from AS Roma earlier this year.
However, the Turin side may now look to sell Mario Lemina, Zaza and Roberto Pereyra in the summer window in order to recoup some of the transfer money rather than cashing in on Pogba.
Juventus later confirmed the news on their Twitter account.
The north London club had identified Higuain as the player to bolster their attack for the next season.
He ended the 2015/16 season as the top scorer in Serie A with 36 goals and scored 91 times in 146 appearances for Napoli.
Higuain’s compatriot Diego Maradona, who helped Napoli win their only two Serie A titles when he played for the club from 1984 to 1991, said the speculation was “hurting” him.
The attraction of Champions League football may be a key factor in finding a replacement, and therefore their interest in players such as Inter’s Mauro Icardi and Carlos Bacca of Milan would likely be reciprocated.
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Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis even said recently that if Higuain signed for Juventus he would be betraying himself and all the people of Naples.
