It’s fair to say that the majority of Arsenal’s transfer activity has only featured in the newspapers so far this summer, much to the frustrations of Gunners fans.
The club have made just one outstanding signing since the window opened on July 1st, after picking up the £11million services of goalkeeper, Petr Cech.
However, the former Chelsea man was just a dip in the water compared to the huge splash Arsenal fans feel they deserve, with Arsene Wenger having a modest kitty behind him.
According to chief director, Lord Harris, the boss is currently sitting on a transfer budget of £200million, giving him the ability to bring in a world-class player ahead of the 2015/16 campaign.
And after making a handful of youth academy signings, it’s the chances of bringing in a top class name that is reaching the real headlines, with a number of options on offer.
One of the names in question during the summer has been Gonzalo Higuain, who has been linked with a move to the Emirates ever since Robin van Persie left in 2013.
Those links throughout the media have been sparked yet again, following reports that Higuain refused to sign a new contract offered by Napoli, where he has already been for two seasons.
The striker was once on the verge of joining up with Wenger’s side, but instead the main target was Luis Suarez, after that cheeky bid of forty million and one pound was made.
And in the mix of all of that, Higuain became fed up of being second choice at Real Madrid and instead made the switch to the Serie A giants.
But now, tensions have risen at the Italian club after they failed to make the cut for Champions League football next season, leaving Higuain to weigh up his future.
At 27 years old, the Argentina international is beginning to reach his peak years of football, something he has proven in recent seasons.
The forward bagged himself 18 goals in all competitions for Napoli last year, a statistic that matches the records of Arsenal’s current main striker, Olivier Giroud.
The pair have a lot in common, but you have to argue that Higuain has the edge when it comes to his overall game.
At just over 6ft tall, Higuain has the ability to run off of the ball and also be a presence in the air, whilst Giroud is only known for his ability to hold the ball up and latch onto set pieces.
You then have to consider the goalscoring record of Higuain, who acts as a poacher in and around the penalty area, having played as a solo striker for the majority of his career.
The likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Angel di Maria have all played with the forward, so he is capable of playing the role with world-class talent around him.
As well as proving his positioning, Higuain can instantly come in as a striker who can score goals, with his track record of 192 goals in 407 professional appearances.
Those are statistics that link in with the talents of an Arsenal player, which has both good and bad implications unfortunately.
There’s no problem with Higuain coming in and scoring 20 goals a season, but whether he has that ability to win us games when we’re not playing well is another question to ask.
For that reason I don’t think you can class Higuain as a really world-class striker who can actively scare Giroud with the competition he brings.
When you add the huge price tag as another component of bringing Higuain to the Emirates, you’re suddenly looking at a player who has a lot to prove in the worlds most demanding division.
Normally players can take up to six months to adapt to the way football is played in the Premier League, and that is simply time we don’t have. Although Alexis Sanchez showed last year that that is not always the case.
Arsenal fans will know we lost our challenge for the title within the opening half of the campaign last year, and therefore you could argue Higuain would be carrying a lot of pressure to make an impact.
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Don’t get me wrong, Higuain would be a terrific signing for the club but unless he is bought for less than £40million you have to challenge whether he is worth it.
At the moment I see him as a player who can come in and score goals, but not change games like Alexis managed to do last season.
That is what the difference is in a great player and a world-class one, and unless Wenger is prepared to open his wallet, a move could be difficult to adapt to.
What do you think about making a move for Higuain? Let us know by commenting below!
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