According to the BBC, Napoli’s Argentinian striker, Gonzalo Higuaín, would be available to Arsenal for £80 million.
A source closely affiliated to the Italian club told the BBC that an £80 million release clause exists in Higuaín’s contract and the belief is Napoli would only sell their talisman for that price.
“There are no direct offers. Only by meeting the release clause of €94,376,000 will the player leave Napoli. Otherwise Higuaín will stay for the remaining two years of his deal.”
According to the Daily Star (via RaiSport’s Ciro Venerato), Arsene Wenger has asked to meet with Napoli’s President, Aurelio De Laurentiis, to discuss a bid for HiguaÍn. The report claims that Arsenal are ready to make a £42.2 million offer that includes Oliver Giroud, but would bid £50.6 million without Giroud.
“It comes to €50 million (£42.2 million) plus Giroud, but I know that the English club is ready to arrive at €60 million (£50.6 million),” said Venerato, who was less convinced about Giroud’s interest in Napoli. “The Italians have already done a survey with the entourage of Giroud, but I’m not entirely convinced the attacker wants to move.”
Higuaín came close to joining the Gunners in the summer of 2013 and even agreed personal terms with the North London club. However, Arsenal and Real Madrid, Higuaín’s previous club, never agreed a fee and Napoli swooped in for the Argentine.
Arsenal quickly moved on and famously made a failed at attempt to activate Luis Suarez’s release clause with a bid of £40 million plus £1 when the player was still at Liverpool. Wenger has been on the lookout for a world-class striker ever since that summer.
The 28-year old was in scintillating form last season, helping Napoli finish runners-up to Juventus, and scoring 36 goals in the process – enough to win Serie A’s golden boot, the Capocannoniere.
It’s well documented that Arsenal are in the market for a striker this summer and Higuaín is one of the few strikers that would provide an upgrade at the position for the London club. Until more concrete news of Arsenal actually making a bid arrives, we are in wait-and-see mode.
