UPDATE (Thurs., Sept. 17):Inter Miami manager Diego Alonso addressed the reported arrival of Argentine striker Gonzalo Higuain during a media press conference and he made it clear that it's only a matter of time.
"Gonzalo is finalizing negotiations with the club and we hope this week to give the big news that he’s our player," Alonso said.
Just minutes after Alonso's statement, Italian club Juventus announced the mutual termination of Higuain's contract with the club.
TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Reports
UPDATE (Sun., Sept. 13): Details have emerged on the reported financials of the Higuain to Inter Miami CF detail, which would put the Argentine forward in rarified air among the top paid players in MLS.
Italian reporter Nicolo Schira tweeted the done deal is for €7.5m, or about $8.8M. Miami Herald's Michelle Kaufman reported Higuain's base salary, quoting a source, would be closer to $7M, though bonuses could raise that amount substantially. Either way, he'd be the highest paid player in the league.
TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Reports
UPDATE (5:00 pm, Fri., Sept. 11): Miami head coach Diego Alonso confirmed in a Friday afternoon press conference that Higuain was undergoing his medical.
“Gonzalo Higuain is in Florida, doing his medical exam," Alonso said. "It’s in the final stage of negotiations, we hope we can close this agreement and he can be with us soon.”
UPDATE (11:50 am ET, Fri., Sept. 11): Amid reports that Gonzalo Higuain had flown to Florida on Thursday to finalize his blockbuster move to Inter Miami, club owner Jorge Mas welcomed Higuain to the area by meeting him at the airport.
No official announcement from Miami for Higuain's acquisition... yet.
UPDATE (3:30 pm ET, Thurs., Sept. 10): The deal to bring Gonzalo Higuain to Inter Miami is done, Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano reported on Thursday. The Athletic's Felipe Cardenas confirmed the news, and noted that Higuain would arrive in South Florida on Thursday evening and undergo immediate quarantine before joining up with the squad.
ORIGINAL: Argentine striker Gonzalo Higuain has reached an agreement with Juventus to pay out the remaining year of his contract, moving him closer to a transfer to Inter Miami CF, according to reports in Italy and ESPN's Jeff Carlisle.
Italian publication Tuttosport reported Wednesday that Higuain would receive around 50% of the salary from the final year of his contract in order to release him from his deal a season early. Higuain will take a few days to make a final decision over his future, said Tuttosport, though Miami is likely his next destination in a career that has seen him established as one of the top strikers in Europe for the past decade.
According to Carlisle, just a few details remain to be sorted in a potential move to join the first-year MLS expansion club.
Miami have made no secret of their desire to add a high-profile striker to fill their one remaining Designated Player spot. Argentine youngster Matias Pellegrini and Mexican star Rodolfo Pizarro arrived as DPs ahead of the 2020 season, while the club pulled off a coup last month by signing World Cup winner Blaise Matuidi on a TAM deal.
Higuain moved to Juventus in 2016 after breaking the Serie A record for most goals in a season when scoring 36 in 35 games for Napoli. During a mixed four years at Juve, the former Real Madrid striker also spent time on loan at both AC Milan and Chelsea.
The 32-year-old should certainly have plenty to offer a Miami team that has scored just eight goals in their first 10 MLS games.
