Gonzalo Higuain looking to leave Real Madrid

Following Real Madrid’s failure to offer Gonzalo Higuain a new contract last summer, the striker’s father said that his son is planning to leave for a club where his contributions will be valued.

Higuain senior elaborated how Madrid had agreed to raise Higuain’s salary which is currently €3 million per annum, but a year has passed since those negotiations and no new contract has been drawn up.

“It was like that,” he said. “With Mourinho, my son and [director] Jose Angel Sanchez. They promised they would do everything so that [Gonzalo] was happy. There was another with Mou, Jose Angel and me. And a third with me and Florentino. A year and this was not fulfilled. We have not said anything. Ten days I go I said it again to Jose Angel in a meeting. I do not know if he told the president. I was surprised he has got angry because this has been coming. There are no strategies, this is football and he just wants a change of environment. We never want to leave through the back door, just for things to be clear.”

The centre forward has made it clear that he wants to leave Bernabeu behind. Though it was initially assumed that Serie A champions Juventus were his target, but going by the recent comments, it seems like he is more interested to move to Premier League side Arsenal.

When asked where his son would prefer to be, Jorge Higuain replied that even though there are three more years left in his current contract, he is definitely in for a transfer this summer, given his dissatisfaction with Madrid’s conduct.

“We had contact through a friend of the [Juve] president, [agent Ernesto] Bronzetti,” he added. “He looks after the market. I suppose he spoke with them. The clubs must first talk with Madrid and start the negotiation. [Gonzalo] wants to go to a team who recognise him and appreciate him. We want a team who is in Europe.”

The Madrid President’s preference of Karim Benzema to Higuain has been overplayed by the media.

“In seven years [Gonzalo] never felt protected as he deserved,” Jorge said. “He has been attacked directly by a sector of the Spanish sporting press, he never had protection from anybody, only the goals he scored. Whatever good he did was minimised, the bad was exaggerated.”

Following Perez’s statement regarding the meeting of the release clause in the forward’s contract, which might even amount to €200 million, Higuain senior replied: “I suppose that was just said in the heat of the moment. There is no player who costs €200 million. When you return to yourself and be reasonable, you know that the kid has shown what he wants. Madrid want to sell because there are concrete rumours. We must look for the best exit which does not damage the image of the club or the player.”

Source: ESPN FC