Not whole lotta love
Higuain says only person who wanted him at Chelsea was Sarri
ROme: Gonzalo Higuain said that the only person at Chelsea who wanted to sign him was the Blues’ new coach Maurizio Sarri, after arriving at AC Milan in a three-player swap deal.
Higuain had been heavily linked to the Premier League club before making the switch from Italian champions Juventus to their Serie A rivals, due to his relationship with Sarri and goalscoring record while the pair were together at Napoli.
The 30-year-old, who scored a record 36 Serie A goals under Sarri in 2015-16, said that the Premier League club didn’t do enough to sign him.
“The esteem in which I hold Sarri isn’t new. But the only person who wanted me there (at Chelsea) was him. Everyone wanted me here,” Higuain said to reporters during his official unveiling as a Milan player.
Higuain signed for Milan from Italian champions Juventus on Thursday on a one-year loan deal worth a reported €18mil (RM85.11mil) that gives the Serie A club the option to buy the striker next summer for a further €36mil (RM170.2mil).
Italy defender Leonardo Bonucci went the other way after just one underwhelming season at Milan, swapped for promising Mattia Caldara.
Argentina international Higuain’s arrival has revived enthusiasm around Milan after a troubled period marked by on-pitch embarrassment and financial woes.
Last season they scored just 56 league goals as they finished sixth despite spending over €200mil RM945.7mil) on new players.
The 30-year-old, who scored 40 league goals in two seasons at Juve, is gunning for what would be a first taste of European success following the club’s re-admission to the Europa League.
The closest striker Higuain has come to tasting European success in his career was the 4-1 thrashing at the hands of former club Real Madrid in the 2017 Champions League final, and the Argentina international wants Milan to push for the Europa League.
Milan meanwhile have been in decline since last winning the league in 2011. Their last appearance in the Champions League was in 2013-14, when they reached the last 16, while last season Arsenal swatted them 5-1 at the same stage of the Europa League.
“I think it (the Europa League) is one of our objectives. Winning it would be extraordinary,” said Higuain, who will wear the number nine shirt at Milan.
“A team like Milan needs to have the idea of winning it in their head.”
Milan’s number nine shirt has proved something of a jinx for its wearers over the past few seasons Higuain said it held no fear for him.
“I have already worn a few shirts which carry a heavy burden, so the number nine shirt here isn’t a problem,” Higuain told reporters.
“It makes me proud. This is a wonderful challenge for my career. All I have to do is to show that the club was right to invest in me.”
Milan confirmed that Higuain will wear the number nine shirt although it appeared to be handing him a poisoned chalice.
Portugal forward Andre Silva, who wore it last season, scored only two goals in 24 Serie A appearances after a move from Porto.
Three seasons ago, the shirt belonged to Luiz Adriano, who managed four goals in 26 outings, while two players wore it in 2014-015 without success – Fernando Torres scoring once in 10 games and Mattia Destro three times in 15.
Alexandre Pato failed to score in four appearances in 2012-13 and nobody was allocated the shirt in 2013-14.
The most impressive performer was Gianluca Lapadula who scored eight goals in 27 outings in 2016-17 – only to be loaned to Genoa at the end of the season.