Arsenal look set to miss out on Napoli’s Gonzalo Higuain for a second time; the striker is lined up to sign for Juventus since the Italian champions met his £78 million release clause.
Multiple reports in Italyindicate that Higuain, who scored 36 goals for Napoli last season, will get a four-year deal with Juve, leaving Arsenal to rue another wasted opportunity after their failure to land Jamie Vardy from Leicester earlier this summer.
Higuain’s potential move to Turin has led to speculation that the Bianconeri could recoup their outlay on the Argentina international by sanctioning the sale of Paul Pogba to Manchester United for a world-record £100m fee.
And how will Napoli manager Maurizio Sarri recoup the goals Higuain is taking with him from Naples to the Serie A champions? By bringing in Italy’s Euro 2016 revelation Emanuele Giaccherini, according to the Sunderland striker’s agent.
Giaccherini, 31, spent last season on loan with Bologna, but his agent Furio Valcareggi told Radio CRC of his client’s imminent move away from Wearside: “We’re almost there. It’s all done.”
Giaccherini scored seven goals in 28 Serie appearances for Bologna last season, while doing a world of good for his perceived value at Euro 2016, scoring once and adding an assist in Italy’s surprise run to the Euro quarterfinals.
But not so fast, says Edo De Laurentiis, the son of Napoli’s chairman. When asked about Higuain’s mooted move to Juve, De Laurentiis is quoted by TuttoNapoli as saying, “It’s all a hoax. You must not believe everything.”
