JUVE LAND HIGUAIN IN £79M DEAL
GONZALO HIGUAIN has completed a Juventus medical in Madrid and will sign for the Italian champions in a stunning £79million deal. The Argentinian forward will sign a fouryear deal that will tighten Juve’s grip on Serie A by stripping rivals Napoli of the country’s best player last season. Higuain (left) scored 36 league goals in 2015/16, equalling the Italian top-flight record.
Liverpool, Arsenal and Atletico Madrid had all shown interest in the 28-year-old but Napoli held firm and told suitors they would have to activate the striker’s £79m release clause.
Juventus now appear willing to sell Paul Pogba to Manchester United for a worldrecord £100m and have agreed a contract worth around £7m a year with Higuain. KOLO TOURE has had a medical in Glasgow ahead of a move to Celtic. The former Liverpool defender, 35, (below) could join ex-boss Brendan Rodgers before Celtic fly to Kazakhstan for their Champions League qualifying game with Astana on Wednesday. RONALD KOEMAN is weighing up a move for Stoke contract rebel Marko Arnautovic.
The Austrian (above) has a year left on his deal at the Britannia Stadium and boss Mark Hughes is keen to extend his stay.
But Hughes admitted last week it could be a slow process and that has left the door open to new Everton boss Koeman who is keen to add attacking options. CHELSEA have turned their attention to Lazio centre-half Stefan de Vrij after moves for Kalidou Koulibaly stalled. The Holland star (left) is available for £15million, compared with the £45m Napoli want for Koulibaly. WATFORD are hoping to land Holland’s leftsided centre-back Bruno Martins Indi.
The Hornets have offered £6million to Porto for Martins Indi, 24, (above), who was linked with Manchester United last year.