Gonzalo Higuain’s mooted move to Arsenal moved a step closer to completion, with the Real Madrid striker agreeing personal terms with Arsenal ahead of an expected bid of around £22m.
This comes after reports that Juventus had pulled out of the race for his signature, leaving Arsenal as the only real competitors as it stands.
Shift
This represents a significant shift in Arsenal’s financial policy of recent years, enabled by new commercial deals and a relaxing of restraints placed during the stadium move.
If the deal comes off it will represent Arsenal’s greatest transfer and wage outlay, apart from Thierry Henry’s mega-contract in the last year of his time at Arsenal.
As well as this, there are still expectations that Arsenal could go on to complete one or two deals of similar size.
Soon
Arsenal are hoping for the deal to be tied up before their pre-season tour begins on July 4th, and must still wait for Real Madrid to appoint their new manager. Carlo Ancelotti cannot take the reins at the Bernabeu until PSG end their farcical search for a new manager. Once that eventually happens, Arsenal and Madrid will be in a position to finally agree a deal to let Higuain move.
Higuain would take the place of Olivier Giroud as the leader of Arsenal’s line, holding the ball up and bringing others into the game, but hopefully scoring rather more than the Frenchman.
Higuain is not a limited poacher as some like to think, being clinical but still a well-rounded forward player. With the right creative players around him, he could get thirty goals a season easily.
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