As per a report from Italian outlet Mediaset, a striker swap deal between AC Milan and Chelsea which will see Gonzalo Higuain and Alvaro Morata change clubs is moving ever-closer to completion.
Higuain’s struggles
Both Higuain and Morata have endured difficult respective starts to the season.
Argentine hitman Higuain was shipped to the San Siro on loan for the campaign, after being deemed surplus to requirements following Cristiano Ronaldo’s arrival at Juventus.
However, his Milan stint has thus far proved largely uninspiring.
After a decent start to life with the Rossoneri, Higuain’s goalscoring form has since fallen off a cliff, with the former Real Madrid man having failed to find the net for almost two months now.
Morata’s underwhelming Premier League stint
Morata, meanwhile, is without a Premier League goal since the beginning of November, with the Spaniard’s profligate nature in front of goal having actually seen Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri play without a recognised no.9 on a consistent basis of late.
In truth, Morata has never fully settled at Stamford Bridge following his big-money arrival from Real Madrid last summer.
Alvaro Morata during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea
Chelsea/Milan exchange
However, as per the aforementioned report from Mediaset this evening, both Milan and Chelsea hope to resolve their respective problems up top by means of a swap deal next month.
The transfer would see Morata return to Italy, with Higuain heading the other way to London.
Such a deal, in theory, would make sense for all parties involved.
Higuain previously enjoyed the most prolific stint of his career whilst working under current Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri at Napoli.
Calciomercato, meanwhile, reported earlier this month that Morata is extremely keen on a return to Italy. The 26-year-old’s wife, Alice Campello, is Italian, with Morata having never looked more at ease and at home on the pitch than during his time spent in Serie A with Juventus.
In addition, Chelsea were heavily-linked with a move for Higuain during the summer, meaning the Blues could potentially rid themselves of a flop in the form of Morata, whilst satisfying the transfer needs of manager Maurizio Sarri in securing the Argentine’s signature.
Finally, Milan were said to have moved for Morata before clinching Higuain’s arrival during the summer.
Juventus approval?
However, one remaining stumbling block in any potential deal would be the cooperation of Juventus.
Higuain is currently on an 18 million Euro one-year loan at Milan from the Bianconeri, with a 36 million Euro option to buy at the end of the season.
As such, the addition of Chelsea would make this agreement a far more complex one for the Italian champions.
Mediaset, though, remain fully confident that a deal will be pushed over the line, in one of two forms:
The first: ‘Higuain to Chelsea on loan, with the freedom to choose in June whether to redeem him or not. [Plus] Morata at Milan for 18 months on loan from Chelsea’
The second: ‘Exchange of loans for six months.’
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