Sarri orders Higuain to head for the gym
Chelsea boss Maurizio sarri has demanded physical and psychological improvement from Gonzalo higuain after the argentine’s sluggish start at stamford Bridge.
higuain joined on loan from Juventus in January but has only scored against relegated Fulham and huddersfield.
sarri said: ‘he has to improve physically and mentally. he is able to be very useful during the last part of the season. It is not easy in the first months to play in the Premier league.
‘It was a problem for luis suarez at liverpool in his first season. he scored four goals (after signing in January) and then 24 in his first full season.
‘ higuain needs time to improve his physical condition and to be suitable for the Premier league.
‘he is able to do it. We have Olivier Giroud and he is in very good mental and physical condition. We need both.’
While higuain toils, back-up Giroud has scored eight goals in his last 10 appearances for club and country.
Chelsea have an option to buy higuain in the summer, but that is uncertain due to his form and the club’s possible transfer ban, which will be decided at the Court of arbitration for sport later this month.
Chelsea have the option to extend higuain’s loan by a year for £15.5million or sign him outright for £31m.
higuain remains likely to start when Chelsea host West ham on Monday evening and, asked whether he would like to keep higuain at Chelsea next season, sarri said: ‘ Yes, of course, but it depends on the club and Juventus. The situation is not clear.’
sarri also responded to events in Italy this week, where Juventus teenager Moise Kean was subjected to racist abuse during a match at Cagliari.
Juventus defender leonardo Bonucci claimed ‘the blame is 50- 50’ because Kean celebrated in front of the home supporters. Bonucci has since backtracked and conceded his comments were ‘ hasty’. sarri’s own forward, Callum hudson- Odoi, has suffered racist abuse from Dynamo Kiev supporters and while playing for england in Montenegro over the past month.
sarri said: ‘Callum is very strong. he has a great character. he is a very strong boy. I was surprised that this happened in Cagliari. Normally it’s a good atmosphere. I was very surprised.
‘leo Bonucci made a mistake but I am sure he probably wanted to say something different. I am sure leo is not a racist. he made a mistake.’