Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri feels that if new striker Gonzalo Higuain can’t adapt to the Premier League within one month, it’ll be too late for him to have a positive effect on the side.
Higuain made his first appearance at the weekend in Chelsea 3-0 FA Cup fourth round victory against Championship outfit Sheffield Wednesday.
Can Higuain do the business? Here is what you need to know…
- Chelsea signed Higuain on loan from Serie A side Juventus after his time on loan with AC Milan was cut short.
- The Blues have him until the end of the season but have an option to make the move permanent in the summer.
- Higuain has had an impressive goal record at most clubs he has played for and will hope to continue that in west London.
- Chelsea are in the top four of the league but are level on points with fifth-placed Arsenal who have played a game more.
- Chelsea have struggled for goals this season, prompting Sarri to bring in his former Napoli star.
Discussing his hopes for the remainder of the season, Sarri believes there isn’t a lot of time for Higuain to make a real difference to Chelsea’s cause this term.
If he is going to have a real positive effect on where the Blues finish in the league – and how they fare in cup competitions – then he will need to start finding the back of the net as soon as possible.
Sarri told reporters: “It’s not easy, of course.
“It’s not easy to adapt. In this championship, the Premier League, it’s so difficult.
“At the end of the game on Sunday, Higuain said ‘It’s so aggressive’. It’s not easy, but I think he has the right experience.
“He is a very great player, so he has to run, to adapt in a few matches.
“He has to do everything in less than one month, otherwise it’s [too] late.”
Chelsea’s need for a goal scorer
The Blues have found goals hard to come by this season, especially from their strikers.
Big-money signing Alvaro Morata has struggled for the past 18 months to find the back of the net consistently and has been moved on to La Liga side Atletico Madrid on loan.
Former Gunner Olivier Giroud hasn’t been trusted by Sarri to do a job up top either, with playmaker Eden Hazard often trusted with getting the goals from a false-nine position.
It isn’t all bad for Chelsea. Along with the signing of Higuain, they have booked their place in the EFL Cup final against Manchester City following their penalty shoot-out victory over Tottenham Hotspur last week.
They are also in the FA Cup fifth round where, as holders, they will face Manchester United, with the winner given a real chance of going on to win the competition outright.
The Premier League is also in their own hands, with both Arsenal and United breathing down their necks.
This season could get interesting for Sarri, Higuain and Co.
The post Gonzalo Higuain has one month to prove he’s the right fit for Chelsea appeared first on Squawka News.
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