Did You Know? 5 facts about new Chelsea striker Gonzalo Higuain

The January transfer window is creeping to a close meaning the rumour mill is in full swing as clubs across the country look to make the most of their final chance of the season to bolster their squads.

Traditionally the major transactions tend to be done in the summer rather than winter window, and this seems to be the case so far this month.

However, one headline making deal that looks to be nearing completion is that of Gonzalo Higuain’s proposed switch to Chelsea.

The Argentine striker was on loan at AC Milan from Juventus but it now seems the San Siro outfit are unwilling to pay the fee required to make that permanent at the end of the season.

This appears to have given the Blues, who have been looking for a number 9 all season, the chance to cut in and bring the prolific frontman to the Premier League.

But what do you know about Gonzalo Higuain? Here’s five facts on the 31-year-old that will impress your mates…

Dual Nationality

Higuain in Argentina training with Lionel Messi.

Although he plays for Argentina, Higuain was actually born in Brest, France. This was due to the fact his father, Jorge, was playing professional football for Stade Brestois 29 at the time. Despite not speaking the language and leaving the country at 10 months old, he retains French citizenship. Higuain was at first undecided which country he’d play for before opting for the South American heavyweights. He has since gone on to play at three World Cups.

Hat-trick Hero

Celebrating with then manager Diego Maradona after scoring his third in Johannesburg.

There’s no doubting Argentina have had more talented players than Higuain down the years. But the prolific frontman did something Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi haven’t in the famous blue and white stripes – score a hat-trick at the World Cup finals. Under Maradona’s management, the then Real Madrid man netted a treble in a 4-1 win against South Korea to help his nation qualify for the last-16 in South Africa. The only two other players to have previously achieved the same feat for Argentina are Guillermo Stabile (1930) and Gabriel Batistuta (1994 and 1998).

Here comes the Money

Higuain’s goalscoring record means he doesn’t come cheap.

When Higuain moved from Napoli to Juventus in the summer of 2016, he became the most expensive South American of all time with the Italian champions paying a whopping £75.3million for his signature. That was surpassed by Neymar’s incredible £200million word-record switch to Paris Saint-Germain 12 months later. Overall, Higuain’s four career transfers have totalled around £135million.

It’s in the Game

Two Argentines are the cover stars.

After scoring 24 goals in his debut season for Napoli, Higuain was the talk of Naples. He’d struck up a lethal partnership with Uruguayan and now PSG star Edinson Cavani as the Blues won the Coppa Italia for a fifth time. Gonzalo’s stock was so high that he was selected to appear on the front of the Italian version of EA Sports FIFA 15 alongside Barcelona and Argentina teammate Lionel Messi. The series is the world’s most popular video game.

Goals, goals, Goals

Higuain’s record, especially in Italy, is world-class.

In his five full seasons in Italy, Higuain scored over 20 goals in each. For Napoli and Juventus he found the back of the net 146 times in 251 matches. Despite things not quite working out at AC Milan, the 31-year-old still notched eight times in 22 appearances. Gonzalo’s best goals return came for Napoli in the 2015/16 campaign when he scored 38 in 42. That tally, of which 35 came in 36 Serie A games, came under current Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri. Blues fans will be hoping he can replicate something anywhere near that form at Stamford Bridge.