He’s been the hero on a number of occasions since arriving at Napoli two years ago, Gonzalo Higuain now finds himself closer to the exit door once again.
As a direct replacement for Edinson Cavani, the Argentinian has been the main source of goals for Napoli. In his first full season in Serie A he scored 24 goals in 46 appearances, contributing to an impressive but ultimately disappointing Champions League run. Relegated to playing in the Europa League in both seasons at Napoli, Higuain will be feeling aggrieved after having spent so much of his time at Real Madrid competing in football’s elite tournament.
The opinion of Higuain in world football may be high, but to the people of Naples the striker has always been treated with a lack of impunity. Consumed by ambition and lacking in patience, Higuain has not been afforded the same level of treatment from which Ezequiel Lavezzi benefited at Napoli. His relationship with Rafael Benitez could be described as strained, with reports of a dressing room bust up. The form of Duvan Zapata gave Benitez an excuse to drop Higuain to the bench, reinforcing the belief that the pair had had a falling out.
Higuain’s fragile relationship between fans and the coach makes his decision to leave much easier. He is not getting the Champions League football he so desperately craves, despite his impressive scoring statistics. He is still only 27 years-old and has the potential to walk into any team. A likely destination could be the other interested party during his 2013 transfer fiasco: Arsenal.
The English Premier League club is in need of someone of Higuain’s quality to help them progress in Europe. Arsene Wenger doesn’t have an alternative to Olivier Giroud in attack and would be grateful for the Argentinian’s impact.
For Napoli, the situation isn’t exactly devastating. The money they could make from selling Higuain could immediately be reinvested in a new striker, therefore not depriving them of quality up front. There are a number of options that owner Aurelio De Laurentiis will have been looking at.
Liverpool would certainly entertain the idea of a striker swap involving Mario Balotelli, however the Napoli faithful may not accept the Italian. A return for Edinson Cavani could be a possibility, but a difficult task considering the price Paris Saint-Germain paid and would be looking to recoup for the Uruguayan.
With success the only option for Napoli, it could be wise to cut ties with Higuain sooner rather than later. An unsettled striker is not one they can afford to have patience in, particularly if there is a chance to sign someone of equal value. Parting ways with Higuain would be taking the striker’s own situation into consideration, without forcing him to stay against his will.
His goalscoring exploits in Italy won’t have gone unnoticed, having scored three goals in this month alone. He’s repeatedly expressed his willingness to stay at Napoli, but whether he does or not will be up to the club’s hierarchy.
Follow Louis Gibberd-Thomas on Twitter: @mercutio156
