Gonzalo Higuain has played the bulk of his career in the shadow of more illustrious teammates at club and international levels, but the business of soccer has pushed him further into the limelight.
Higuain on Tuesday completed a £75.3 million (€90 million/$99 million) transfer from Napoli to Juventus, the Italian clubs announced on Twitter. Juventus will pay the mammoth fee, which equals Higuain’s release clause, in two installments over the next year.
The transfer sets a record for highest fee paid between two teams in the same domestic league, surpassing Fernando Torres’ £50 million move from Liverpool to Chelsea in 2011. The transfer fee also makes Higuain the third most-expensive player in history, trailing just Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale. Higuain also is third all time in accumulated transfer fees.
The Argentinian striker already has enjoyed three successful seasons in Italian soccer, and his 2015-16 campaign will live long in the memories of Serie A (Italian first division) fans everywhere.
By signing Higuain, Juventus, Serie A’s champion in each of the last five seasons, has improved its strike force, following Alvaro Morata’s return to Real Madrid earlier this month and Carlos Tevez’s return to Boca Juniors
a year ago. More importantly, Juventus has weakened Napoli, the team that finished second last season, and strengthened its grip on domestic supremacy.
Higuain should enjoy his time in the spotlight now, because Juventus might sell Paul Pogba to Manchester United or Real Madrid. Pogba undoubtedly command a larger fee than Higuain, on whom Juventus is counting to soften the blow of the French midfielder’s eventual exit.
Thumbnail photo via Kevin Jairaj/USA TODAY Sports Images