West Ham United want to sign Gonzalo Higuain this summer.
That’s according to Sky Sports Italia who claim West Ham are interested in bringing the former Real Madrid star back to the Premier League.
It is understood that the Hammers and Roma are keen to sign the Argentine.
West Ham asked for Higuain at £35million
West Ham are working hard to sign strikers after Marko Arnautovic, Andy Carroll and Lucas Perez all left the club this summer.
Sky Sports Italia claim West Ham have asked Juventus for Higuain at a cost of £35million.
But West Ham’s rivals for Hugain, Roma, may have an ace card to trump Manuel Pellegrini.
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According to Corriere dello Sport the Giallorossi plan to beat West Ham by tempting Higuain with the Roma captaincy.
Do Roma have the ace card to trump West Ham
“According to the latest reports, Roma are even going so far as to promise Pipita (Higuain’s nickname) the captain’s armband if he agrees to the move,” Corriere dello Sport reports.
“The very fact they are targeting Higuain from Juventus is sparking controversy among Roma fans, but making him captain would create an uproar.
“For the last few decades, the captain’s armband has gone to homegrown Romans, from Giuseppe Giannini to Francesco Totti, Daniele De Rossi and now Alessandro Florenzi. Totti had already stated there was a bid to “purge” the squad of Romans, so making Higuain captain would be taken as evidence of his claims.
“Both Totti and De Rossi were told their contracts would not be renewed, while Florenzi is rumoured to be on the transfer market.”
West Ham would not dream of offering something similar in East London.
Homegrown Hammer Mark Noble is the undeniable captain of West Ham.
Captaincy? No. Game time and second chance at the Premier League? Yes
What West Ham can offer Higuain, though, is a second chance to make it in the Premier League.
And according to Sky Sports Italia the striker simply does not want to play for another Italian team besides parent club Juventus.
Given Juve’s plethora of attacking options and new additions this summer that has become increasingly less likely.
So a return to the Premier League may be his only realistic option.
Despite an inauspicious spell at Chelsea last season signing Higuain would be quite a coup for Pellegrini.
In one season at Napoli, Higuain netted 38 goals in 42 games. That took his tally in just three seasons there to 91 in 146 matches.
After a big money move to Juventus Higuain scored 55 goals in 105 games.
He continued his goal every other game ratio on loan at Milan scoring 8 in 16 starts.
At Chelsea his record took a hit but many of his appearances came as a substitute.
But Higuain still has a phenomenal record of 295 goals from 595 games at the very top level.
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