As the ball flicked up from Dries Mertens’ pass just inside the penalty area, Gonzalo Higuain controlled it with his chest, taking a second before launch a superb overhead kick into the back of the net. That strike – his 36th of the 2015/16 campaign for Napoli – was a spectacular way to beat the Serie A single season goalscoring record, set by Gunnar Nordahl way back in 1950.
In 38 league appearances for the Partenopei, the Argentine would fire in no less than 83 shots on target, 61 shots off target, and saw 38 shots blocked as he shrugged off the reputation for missing important chances. That tally would see him earn a €90 million move to Juventus the following season, Higuain so prolific that Italy’s top dog simply waltzed in and paid the release clause that had previously been inserted into his contract as a deterrent.
A deadly predator in the box, Higuain is surprisingly shy and softly-spoken away from football, as revealed in the recent Juve documentary series on Netflix. This can see his form differ at times, an occasional lack of confidence showing through which only serves to feed his notoriety as a “big game choker”.
Yet it was under Maurizio Sarri’s influence that the striker had his best-ever campaign, and therefore it is no surprise that reports have suggested the new Chelsea boss is desperate to bring his former number nine to Stamford Bridge with him.
“We talk an awful lot,” revealed Higuain just two months after arriving in Naples. “Sustaining a good dialogue with your Coach is essential for a footballer. I have a good understanding with Sarri, ever since the first day of pre-season training.
“Sarri was close to me during the summer, he made me feel at ease and at the heart of his tactical project. It's nice to feel someone's respect and under these premises it wasn't difficult to start a good relationship.”
The main focus of Sarri’s precise 4-3-3 system is always the central attacking player, former Middlesbrough veteran Massimo Maccarone bagging 10 for Empoli under the tactician in 2014/15, Higuain having discovered the aforementioned success a year later at Napoli, while Dries Mertens has found his feet after having been converted from a winger into the central role at the end of 2016. From there the Belgian has bagged 46 goals, meaning Higuain could rightly expect to set the Premier League alight if reunited with his former mentor.
“He’s sensitive, and up until now has projected an image which isn’t in line with his character,” Sarri said of the Argentine in a 2015 interview with Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport. “He’s not only the best striker in the world, but a man with genuine feelings. Gonzalo can be a bit sensitive, and it shows, but it’s enough to touch the right chord. A champion of his ability sometimes just needs to feel close to those around him.”
All this suggests that the 30-year-old would be a superb addition to Sarri’s squad, and the more players he can bring in that already understand his methods, the better. It takes time for players to take the Coach’s meticulous tactical planning and style of play on board, and the Italian has already lost precious pre-season time while the release from his Napoli contract was negotiated.
Reports of a £53 million fee have been quoted by the English press, however if Maurizio Sarri can get Gonzalo Higuain firing again, it will certainly be worth every penny.
