According to reports from The Daily Mail, Gonzalo Higuain snubbed a January transfer to Chelsea because he wasn’t guaranteed to start over Diego Costa.
The Argentina international has scored the most times of any player involved in Europe’s five leading top flights this season with 24 goals in as many Serie A appearances for Napoli. Costa, meanwhile, is yet to reach double figures in the Premier League and prior to the January transfer window had found the net on just six occasions.
Want More? Chelsea News | Premier League News | Transfer News
According to The Mail, however, Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink was unwilling to assure the former Real Madrid star that he’d be guaranteed to start over Costa as the Blues looked to seal a £40million January transfer – although it still seems unlikely Napoli would have sold a player they publicly valued at £67million last summer for the aforementioned sum.
Chelsea reportedly approached more than six frontmen during the transfer window and eventually signed Alexandre Pato on a six-month loan from Corinthians, but the Brazilian is still some way off his Chelsea debut due to a lack of match fitness.
Costa’s recent form, however, has suggested a £40million investment in Higuain probably wasn’t worthwhile. Although doubts remain over his Stamford Bridge future with Atletico Madrid hopeful of re-signing the powerful centre-forward at the end of the season, the Spain international has claimed seven goals and three assists in his last nine appearances across all competitions.