Chelsea set to complete £36m signing after player agrees £140k-a-week deal

The January transfer window is open and managers are working hard on strengthening their squads and identifying targets for the summer so we’ll keep you up-to-date with the latest rumours. Today, Chelsea close-in on Gonzalo Higuain…

Chelsea are closing-in on a £36m deal to sign Gonzalo Higuain after the striker agreed to join the Blues on a contract worth around £140,000-a-week, according to reports in Spain via the Mirror.

Higuain has been one of the most prolific strikers in European football over the past decade as he’s netted 290 goals in 576 career appearances during spells at the likes of Real Madrid, Napoli, Juventus and most recently AC Milan.

The Argentinean international is currently on loan at the San Siro from Juve but after starting life at Milan in superb form with 7 goals in his first 9 appearances, the striker is going through a dry spell having netted just once in his last 11 outings.

It’s led to speculation suggesting the 31-year-old’s time at Milan could be cut short and Chelsea have emerged as the front-runners for his signature as Maurizio Sarri looks to freshen up his striking options.

The Mirror are citing a report from Marca that claims Chelsea are now set to wrap-up a £36m [€40m] deal to sign Higuain after the striker agreed to the switch and will reportedly pen a contract worth around £140,000-a-week [€8m per year].

Higuain knows Sarri well as he played under him during their time at Napoli where the striker arguably played his best football having scored 91 goals in just 146 games during a three-year spell at Stadio San Paolo.

It seems the paid could now be reunited at Stamford Bridge this month, if Marca’s report is accurate, and Higuain would become Chelsea’s second major signing of the winter window after a deal was agreed to sign Christian Pulisic – who’ll arrive in the summer.

Higuain’s arrival would reportedly lead to the departure of Alvaro Morata with the Spaniard strongly linked with a move away from West London this month after a disappointing 18 months at Chelsea following his arrival from Real Madrid in 2017.

We’ll have to wait and see how things develop but as much as Higuain would be an exciting addition for Chelsea, it would also be something of a risk to sign a 31-year-old who’s never played in the Premier League and may take some time to adjust to life in England.