Gonzalo Higuaín has the strange distinction of being in a middle ground with the Real Madrid faithful – somebody who’s both respected for his service yet seen as a place to potentially upgrade. After six years at the Santiago Bernabeu, Madridistas have seen the former River Plate attacker grow into somebody who can contribute at the highest of levels. Over the last five seasons, he’s averaged 21.8 all-competition goals while rarely truly holding down the No. 9’s role. A prolific scorer while not a truly world class talent, Higuaín’s performance almost forces fans to ask how good the team would be if they went out and got top-level striker.
It was thought that’s what Real was doing four years ago when they bought Karim Benzema from Lyon. But Benzema, while serving as essentially a co-starter with Higuaín, has failed to match the Argentine’s production. In league play, Benzema has scored a goal every 132 minutes since joining Real Madrid. Higuaín (who is the same age Benzema) has scored every 96 minutes.
Regardless, over the past four years, there have been persistent murmurs that Higuaín would move on. This year’s latest has him landing at the Emirates this summer, Arsenal thought to be primed for a spending spree. Between the Gunners’ need, the likely tweaks Real Madrid will make, and Higuaín’s potential price (which would come in just above Arsenal’s record fee, £15 million), the move is not completely implausible.
And stylistically, you can see the fit. Higuaín, while versatile, can play the type of along the line number nine capable of making runs that Santi Cazorla, Jack Wilshere, and Mikel Arteta could pick out. He may not be physical, and his hold up play may not be that renown, but Higuaín’s strike race in Spain speaks for itself. A year after losing Robin van Persie, Arsenal could use another high-output striker.
Here’s the Telegraph, more reputable than your regular tabloid fishwrap (and linked, above), with the rumor:
With £70 million to spend, Arsenal are preparing for their most adventurous transfer window under Arsène Wenger and are conscious of the need to move quickly within a market that will become intense following all the major managerial changes.
Wenger was interested in Higuaín before he even joined Real Madrid from River Plate in 2007 and there is a feeling that he could now be attainable for what would be a club-record transfer fee of £19 million.
I just don’t see Arsenal spending £70 million (seriously, who can?), but if Higuaín can be had for under £20 million, that keeps Arsenal in play. The bigger problem may be the player’s wage demands, whatever they may be.
The Telegraph has more names from Arsenal’s wishlist, players like Fiorentina’s Stevan Jovetic and Borussia Dortmund’s Lukasz Piszczek reminding us silly season is almost upon us.
Higuaín, however, seems like a less-silly link than most.
