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Despite getting a rare goal from one of their strikers in a recent win, Chelsea know they need more quality up front, which is why they’re looking hard into signing Gonzalo Higuain, hopefully this January and not in the summer.
The Napoli striker has scored 13 goals and added 6 assists in 21 matches so far this season, doing very well in the Serie A, trying to keep up with Roma and Juventus who are running away with the top two spots. Napoli did well in the Champions League group stage, but ended up finishing third, missing out on the next stage with just one more goal necessary, dropping them to the Europa League.
Higuain did very well under Mourinho at Real Madrid, but it Napoli aren’t keen on selling Higuain, with some suggesting that it’ll take a £50 million offer to bring him over from Napoli this January, something Chelsea probably won’t be willing and don’t have to spend, according to the recent financial reports. Roman Abramovich prefers to comply with the Financial Fair Play regulations, and that means selling a player or two before spending more money.
There’s one option of lowering the price, which involves Juan Mata. Mata seems to be on his way out from Chelsea, not fitting in with Mourinho’s system and not feeling happy about being left out or substituted in recent matches, showing it for everyone to see. Rafa Benitez would love for Mata to join him at his new club, so there’s a chance that some exchange deal, something that rarely happens in big transfers, will take place.
While it seems quite likely that Mata will find another club this transfer window one way or another, Napoli still have goals to achieve and Higuain, who still might be disappointed with the early Champions League exit but hasn’t given up on winning a championship, is a big piece in their plans, which makes his departure a bit more unlikely.