Juventus have completed a move for Gonzalo Higuain after agreeing to pay the striker’s €94.7 million release clause from Napoli.
According to ESPN, Higuain, 29, completed a successful medical with Bianconeri officials in Madrid on Friday, as he shatters the transfer record in the Serie A.
Juventus, who already brought in Miralem Pjanic from Serie A rivals Roma as they look to make a strong push in Europe next season, will pay the transfer fee in two sets of €47m installments.
This comes as a blow to Premier League giants Arsenal, who were strongly linked with a move for the player after his record breaking Serie A season with 36 goals in 35 matches for Napoli.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was rumoured to have offered Frenchman Olivier Giroud as makeweight in the deal to lure the Argentine to the Emirates.
Meanwhile, there are reports that the Gunners will soften the blow of having missed out on Higuain by sealing a €50m deal to sign Leicester City playmaker Riyad Mahrez.
The Algerian international, who was named PFA Player of the Year last season, bagged 17 goals and 11 assists in 36 games as the Foxes won an incredible league title.
Wenger, however, remains bullish despite the latest transfer setback, claiming the Gunners will spend money this summer if the right players are available.
“We are very active and if we find the right candidates, we will spend the big money. We have already spent big and, until now, nobody has made a bigger transfer than we have in the country,” he said.
“Today we are in July and the transfer market finishes on Aug. 31.
“A lot happens many times in the last week so it’s a long time to go but we are active, we are working.”
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