Atletico Madrid are set to test Napoli's resolve by offering ‘€60 million + Matias Kranevitter’ for Gonzalo Higuain according to Corriere dello Sport. Diego Simeone wants to sign a striker this summer and Higuain is said to be the latest target.
Atletico finished 3rd in La Liga last season and are determined to bring the Argentina international to the Vicente Calderón. Napoli would prefer not to sell, president Aurelio De Laurentiis has said that anyone who triggers the striker’s €94 million release clause can sign him.
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Atletico would be unwilling to pay such a huge sum, but are said to be ready to offer Matias Kranevitter and €60 million for the 28-year-old striker. Kranevitter is 23 years old and is considered as a very promising midfielder. The striker has already played in La Liga for derby rivals, Real Madrid but that is something Atletico are bothered about.
Simeone reportedly met with Atletico’s sporting director Gil Martin to discuss transfer targets last week and mentioned Higuain as top target. He believes that Higuan can be the man who can help Atletico win the Champions League after two near misses. Apart from Higuain, Chelsea’s Diego Costa and Paris Saint-German’s Edinson Cavani are said to be the other 2 targets for the Spanish club.
Higuain finished Serie A last season an impressive tally of 36 goals in 35 matches and has been notching up goals for Argentina as well. The striker was an influential player at Real Madrid and managed to score 107 goals in 190 apps for the Los Blancos. This tally is very impressive considering that he was playing 2nd fiddle to Karim Benzema and also played in a team that had Cristiano Ronaldo. Signed for €12 million in 2007, Higuan was sold to Napoli for €40 million with the Italian club beating Arsenal in the race for the striker.
Liverpool are also said to be lining up a move for Higuain and more fuel was added to these rumours when Jurgen Klopp was spotted with Higuan’s agent and Brother during Argentina’s Copa America opener vs Chile. Liverpool are hoping to sign him as a potential replacement for Christian Benteke, who had a very disappointing first season at Anfield and was used scarcely by Klopp, who preferred to play Firmino and Sturridge ahead of him. Chelsea are also said to be interested in the Argentine with Diego Costa being linked with a return to Atletico.
