Higuain ‘betrayed’ Napoli by joining bitter rival Juve
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GONZALO Higuain “betrayed” Napoli by joining rival Juventus, club owner Aurelio De Laurentiis has claimed despite pocketing 90 million euros (US$98.8 million) from the sale of the Argentina striker.
In the most unlikely move of the Serie A summer transfer period, Higuain ended his fairytale three-year spell with Napoli on Tuesday when he agreed to a record five-year deal with the Italian champion that is expected to earn him 7.5 million euros a year.
As Juventus fans rejoiced, their Napoli counterparts reacted by posting photos of their idol’s Napoli shirt in the toilet.
And De Laurentiis, despite a bulging bank account, was not far behind in slamming the 28-year-old whose record tally of 36 goals last season took Napoli to the brink of ending its 26-year wait for the Serie A title.
He told Corriere dello Sport: “Some people say that to speak of betrayal is exaggerated, but I think the opposite because there is the full sense of betrayal in this (Higuain) choice because of the ingratitude shown.
“Obviously I have to consider the role played by Juventus, but I expected a different kind of behavior (from Higuain).”
Higuain was feted as the King of Napoli only two months ago when he broke Gunnar Nordahl’s 66-year-old record of 35 goals in a single Serie A season as the southerners battled Juventus for a ‘scudetto’ title they last won in 1990. In the end, Napoli finished second but Higuain was undoubtedly the star of last year’s campaign.
De Laurentiis slapped a 94.7-million euro buyout clause into his contract but when Juventus offered 90 million euros over two instalments, the Napoli owner buckled.
Snap decision
De Laurentiis conceded the transaction was above board. But he said Higuain’s snap decision to quit Napoli, following advise from his brother and agent, reflected the “unscrupulous” nature of the modern game.
“True, there was the clause so there was no formal impropriety... but the unscrupulous nature of football means there is no respect for sentiment,” added De Laurentiis.
“We understood, as soon as Higuain’s brother spoke, that we might run the risk of having to look for a new center-forward.
“But we didn’t think that risk was serious, or that he (Higuain) could simply wipe clean his three years spent with Napoli.”
Higuain had a medical in Turin yesterday ahead of signing a five-year deal that will make him the third most expensive signing in history after Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo, both at Real Madrid. He will be officially unveiled today.
But Higuain’s shock move to what remains the most potent, revered and hated club in Italy was met with mixed reaction.
For Italian icon and one-club man Francesco Totti, who is set to play his final season with AS Roma, it is a disaster that smacks more of “business than passion”.
“Look at what’s happened now with Gonzalo Higuain leaving Napoli for Juventus. It’s a disaster,” he said. “But, it’s completely normal now that when a foreigner comes to Italy he has the possibility of going to another team to make more money.”
Napoli already had its sights set on Inter Milan striker Mauro Icardi, although Polish international Arkadiusz Milik (Ajax) is tipped as a more realistic replacement for Higuain.
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