Napoli agree €37m fee with Real Madrid for Higuain

Napoli have agreed a €37 million fee
with Real Madrid for Gonzalo Higuain.
The Serie A club have had a fresh bid
for the Argentine accepted by the
Spanish club and Napoli are now
trying to convince the player to move
to the San Paolo.
Personal terms are yet to be agreed,
with Higuain's insistence on retaining
his image rights providing a
something of a stumbling block.
Higuain has two years remaining on a
Nike deal worth around €1.8m per
year but Napoli would prefer to take
control of his image rights and pay
him a more lucrative salary.
The forward earns a relatively modest
€75,000-a-week at Madrid and Napoli
are believed to have offered him a
deal in line with the €116,000-a-week
starting salary he had agreed with
Arsenal.
The Gunners had agreed personal
terms with Higuain but a transfer to
the Emirates Stadium stalled because
Madrid were holding out for a bigger
offer than the €27m submitted by the
Londoners.
Arsene Wenger subsequently switched
his attention to capturing Luis Suarez
from Liverpool after learning the
Uruguayan was interested in a move
to the Emirates.
Wenger is still believed to be
monitoring Higuain’s situation but
plans to bring him to Arsenal are on
the backburner as the Frenchman
attempts to land Suarez for £40m-
plus in a deal that would smash the
club transfer record.
Arsenal will not attempt to match
Napoli's bid but could come back into
the running for Higuain's signature if
he rejects a move to the Serie A club.
New manager Rafael Benitez targeted
Higuain for the vacant senior centre-
forward role in the team after selling
Edinson Cavani for €63m to Paris
Saint-Germain last week.
Although Madrid have claimed
Higuain is not for sale, it is
understood the Spanish club are now
ready to offload the forward, who has
spent six years at the Santiago
Bernabeu.