Chelsea: Buying Gonzalo Higuain would be first step in next stumble
By Hugo Amaya
Chelsea finally settled their managerial crisis and have moved right on to spinning up a player crisis. They would make a huge mistake buying Gonzalo Higuain and selling Alvaro Morata.
Good news at Chelsea is often followed by questionable and less than popular decisions. Chelsea are on the verge of repeating that cycle. Maurizio Sarri and Jorginho put some light at the end of the tunnel after a couple of years of poor acquisitions and the whole Antonio Conte saga. Now they are dimming that light by attempting to sign Gonzalo Higuain at the cost of Alvaro Morata.
In his days at Real Madrid, Napoli, and even at the beginning of his Juventus career, Higuain was a fierce striker. He was deadly in front of goal and capable of scoring 30+ goals a season, scoring from anywhere and intimidating any defender. But that time has clearly passed, and his age is catching up to him.
The Argentine is about to turn 31. In recent years, his performances and number of goals has declined. His influence at Juventus has faded away and he no longer looks to be the player he once was.
If that wasn’t enough, Higuain’s performances during the World Cup were less than convincing. He did not have any real impact in the games and was unable to create anything of importance to help his team. He couldn’t find any space in the box, nor hold defenders to create openings. Moreover, let us not forget, he is practically the reason why Argentina lost the 2014 World Cup Final and Copa America Finals.
Chelsea do not need another liability who could cost them silverware. Yet the Blues are willing to break the bank for a player who could only be starter for one season at best.
But that is not the worst of it. Chelsea are again open to the idea of selling their record-breaking striker, Alvaro Morata. Surely the club is looking to be on the highest level again, but selling Alvaro Morata and buying Gonzalo Higuain not only sounds like bad business. It also looks to be a plan with no future in it.
Although Morata had a disappointing first season, without a doubt he has a lot of untapped potential. Furthermore, he is young and can adapt to Sarri’s new style of play.
Chelsea will sell Higuain for far less than his purchase price in a year or two. This is simply throwing money down the drain.
At the same time, selling Morata means the dissolution of a team. With Thibaut Courtois, Eden Hazard and Willian possibly on their way out of Chelsea, they could lose what little stability they have. Morata could be one of those players who becomes the back-bone for the Blues in a near future. And if the club wishes to make a profit out of him, the time to sell, surely, isn’t now.
Yes, Gonzalo Higuain would bring experience to the squad and help achieve whatever short-term goal Maurizio Sarri and the club have in mind. However, selling Alvaro Morata will only hurt the team in the long run. The chemistry and togetherness of the squad will suffer and eventually cost Chelsea another manager.
Furthermore, such transactions send a strong message to other players about the club’s lack of trust in them. This can cause the departure of key players and future stars looking to settle in one club.
Chelsea started their pre-season campaign with a win over Perth Glory. Although these are good signs, the squad, the manager and the club must remain focused on the difficult tasks ahead. Challenging for the title will be just as difficult as ever, and a Champion League spot is a must.
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Although Chelsea need a couple more signings this summer, they must not let despair lead them into an all-around bad deal for Gonzalo Higuain. They must try to think about the future of the club as much as the present.