Why Wolves signing Gonzalo Higuain would bolster their attack
According to a report from the Express (h/t Daily Mail), Premier League outfit Wolves have joined Newcastle United in the race to sign Juventus star striker Gonzalo Higuain in the summer.
Higuain is a product of the River Plate academy in Argentina. The striker made 33 appearances for the club, scoring 15 goals, before joining Real Madrid in January 2007. He spent six very successful years with the Spanish capital club, accumulating 122 goals and 56 assists in over 250 appearances.
Higuain joined Napoli in the summer of 2013. The Argentine international netted 92 goals in 147 games for the Partenopei, before joining rivals Juventus in 2016. Still with the Italian champions, Higuain has had two middling loan spells away at AC Milan and Chelsea in between. He has 63 goals and 16 assists in 139 appearances for the Juventus so far.
Wolves need depth in centre-forward department
With another campaign in Europe looking increasingly likely at this point of time, it is important for Nuno to strengthen his roster in the summer transfer window. The centre-forward department especially needs some additional depth heading into next season, as Raul Jimenez is the only No. 9 currently at the manager’s disposal.
Wolves did sign Patrick Cutrone last summer. But the striker returned to Italy on loan in January having failed to make an impact and could be sold permanently. Furthermore, there are increased question marks over the future of Jimenez himself, who is a transfer target for a host of clubs in the Premier League.
While the likes of Diogo Jota and Pedro Neto can play as a striker, neither of them are naturals in the position. Hence, adding another centre-forward before the next season would serve Wolves well, irrespective of whether Jimenez stays or leaves.
And to that end, Juventus star Higuain would be the ideal stop-gap option for the club. The 32-year-old has proven his worth and quality at all his clubs so far in his career. While his loan spell at Chelsea last year didn’t quite work out, he still managed five goals in 18 matches.
The Argentine striker has fared decently in the 2019/20 campaign with Juve, bagging 8 goals and 8 assists in 34 matches in all competitions. With over 300 goals in his professional career and vast experience at top clubs, Higuain would definitely add more quality to the Wolves frontline, while also providing more bench strength.
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Verdict
At 32, Higuain might not represent a long-term solution. But the £31.6m rated Argentine would provide Wolves with added quality and depth at the top of the attack. In addition, his years of experience at the top level would only help them, especially if they play European football again next term.
