There hasn’t been an official word from the club, but all signs from various media outlets suggest that Real Madrid and Arsenal have finally come to an agreement about Gonzalo Higuain, and he will be in London to finalize the move by the end of the day.
Marca came out with reports suggesting that there’s a chance the move could be cancelled, as the clubs weren’t really seeing eye to eye regarding the transfer fee, but later on, TuttoMercato brought quotes from Higuain’s father about the talks being very advanced, and it only seemed to be a matter of time.
Both Fox Sports Argentina and the website Canchellena were the next to reveal more, suggesting it’s a done deal, and that Arsenal will pay £23 million for the striker, and will give him a three-year deal with a salary of £100,000 per week. This puts Higuain near the top of the famous salary pyramid Wenger is adamant at keeping.
While some are surprised by the relatively short contract (Premier League sides and big teams in general usually sign players in their prime on a five-year deal), there’s no doubt that Arsenal paid a reasonable price for a proven goalscorer, at least in the Spanish La Liga.
Higuain has scored 106 league goals in 188 matches for Real Madrid, and has been especially prolific over the last five seasons, averaging 0.66 goals per match. He has been criticized more than once about his disappearing acts in big matches or his lack of versatility and ability to play on the wings, but Arsenal needed a real striker and a true goalscorer. Higuain might not be the perfect target man, but in a 4-3-3 system there isn’t always a need for one, and Higuain should fit quite well with Wenger’s tactics.
This becomes the first big signing for Arsenal this summer, following Yaya Sanogo coming on a free transfer (also a striker), and marks a rare case of Arsenal signing a player from a big club, although Higuain was going to leave no matter what, which slightly hinders their “accomplishment.”