How Pogba's Sale Could Reignite Juventus' Higuain Interest
Monday was billed as judgement day in Italy. All the head honchos were expected in Milan for a meeting of the league. What it meant was Napoli and Juventus could no longer avoid each other. They would come face-to-face for the first time since the news had broken of the Old Lady making her move on Gonzalo Higuain. In the end, both sides presented it as a non-event.
Napoli owner Aurelio de Laurentiis revealed it hadn’t even crossed his mind to ask Juventus’ general manager Beppe Marotta if he wanted to pay Higuain’s €94.7m (£79.2m) buy-out clause. “I haven’t received any offer and Higuain has said nothing about it to me,” de Laurentiis continued. “There’s a five-year contract and only three years have gone by.”
Those hoping for a diplomatic incident didn’t get one. De Laurentiis didn’t hail down a scooter and flee in protest like he did that time when the fixture list was announced. He held Juventus in good faith, choosing to believe in their “class” instead of reports that they have already agreed personal terms with Higuain. The Old Lady has been around the block, de Laurentiis said, and she knows she is fighting a losing battle. Besides it would make her even more unpopular.
“There’s nothing to say, guys,” Marotta insisted as he left the meeting. “There are no negotiations. There’s no possibility of negotiations.” Nor do Juventus intend to pay the buy-out clause. The case is closed then. “For now,” Marotta concluded and with that he left the door open. Unfortunately for Napoli they can’t slam it shut.
Before Monday, the brief from Juventus was that they could do this deal without selling Paul Pogba or Leonardo Bonucci. They would either offer Napoli players in exchange or take up the offers made for them by other clubs and put it towards paying the clause. Juventus believe they can get €60m for Roberto Pereyra, Mario Lemina and Simone Zaza. Given Higuain’s clause can be paid in two instalments of €47m, that amount would more than cover the first one.
Since then, however, there have been developments regarding Pogba’s future. Manchester United have made their first official offer, believed to be around €101m, which has been rejected. Juventus don’t want to lose him, but in light of his willingness to accept a return to Old Trafford, are prepared to do business for €120m. Juventus could buy back Alvaro Morata. But Marko Pjaca, a player I consider to be his replacement, is expected to join from Dinamo Zagreb by the end of this week.
What there can no longer be any uncertainty about, however, is Juventus’ ability to pay the clause in Higuain’s contract in one-go - which they don’t have to do - and - providing they get €120m for Pogba - still have €25m in spare change to either cover two-thirds of his wages over a five-year deal or to invest elsewhere in strengthening their midfield.
Whether Juventus do it or not remains to be seen. As does whether Higuain goes through with it or not. “We’ll have to see if he betrays the love he swore to the people of Naples,” de Laurentiis said on Tuesday. The blame will be on Higuain if he leaves even if his brother and agent Nicolas has put it at de Laurentiis’ door for not keeping his promise and making the team around Napoli’s star striker competitive enough to win major honours. At 28, Higuain is eager for his goals to mean something more. Juventus can offer him a better chance of winning the Scudetto and even the Champions League.
The transfer would have a symbolic significance in Serie A. After prizing Miralem Pjanic away from Roma it would mean they have weakened both pretenders to their crown. Higuain made history last season when he scored 36 goals in 35 games and broke Gunnar Nordalh’s single-season scoring record, which had stood since 1950. The complete striker, Higuain found the back of the net in every way possible: outside the area, inside the area, bicycle kicks, 24 with his right foot, eight with his left, three with his head, a hat-trick and nine braces. A conversion rate of 19.8% was also superior to the likes of Robert Lewandowski (19.7%), Neymar (19.4%) and Paulo Dybala (17.8%) in Europe’s top five leagues last season. Only Cristiano Ronaldo (98) had more shots on target (83).
In PR terms, you can see the appeal: Pogba leaves and that’s a shame, but in comes Serie A’s MVP. It would put Napoli in a difficult spot. If I were de Laurentiis I would consider taking players in exchange and cash. Juventus have pieces that Napoli like and they know it. So far de Laurentiis has ruled this out. It’s all €94.7m or nothing.
But this is different to the situation he found himself in with Edinson Cavani three years ago. Before PSG paid his release clause, Napoli had appointed Rafa Benitez. Irrespective of the fact that Maurizio Sarri has got the team playing better football and ran Juventus closer for the title, Benitez was able to attract players that perhaps previously wouldn’t have considered going to Napoli.
Higuain joined because Benitez was able to point to a track record of winning the league with Valencia and the Champions League with Liverpool. Sarri, with the greatest of respect, can’t do that because he doesn’t have the same international profile as Benitez. Just as worrying has been Napoli’s inability to get a number of deals over the line this summer even with the offer of guaranteed Champions League football.
Due back from holiday on July 25, Higuain is expected at Napoli’s training camp in Dimaro. If Pogba is in Manchester by then, Higuain could be preparing for London instead. Not with Arsenal, but for Juventus’ friendly with West Ham to open the Olympic Stadium on August 7.
Should Juventus go all out to sign Higuain this summer? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below
