Gonzalo Higuain may or may not be ill, but he’s definitely not involved from the start in tonight’s Supercoppa Italiana between Juventus and AC Milan (played in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia because why not), and that’s not because he’s on loan from the former to the latter.
Higuain was set to play — and he’s still named to the bench alongside every other player who traveled — but, according to several reports, he’s either come down with a real fever with rather (in)convenient timing, or he’s battling a strong case of transfer fever.
Earlier, Hiugain also missed the team photo with Saudi Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal. AC Milan said he was undergoing “special treatment” for some unspecified reason at the time.
Higuaín has been diagnosed with (Wednesday Night) fever. pic.twitter.com/4WISPTiUYt
— Kristof Terreur (@HLNinEngeland) January 16, 2019
With recent reports of Chelsea and Juventus figuring out a potential arrangement for a deal that still meets Chelsea’s usual over-30 contract policy — 18-month loan with an option to buy in 2020 — Higuain’s absence is only adding fuel to the fire. Hot, very hot!
#Higuain... hot, very hot
— Alfredo Pedullà (@AlfredoPedulla) January 16, 2019
Milan have been strongly linked with signing Genoa half-season wonder Krzysztof Piątek as Higuain’s replacement, but any move to Chelsea continues to be held up by Juve and Milan figuring out how to break the loan-with-option-to-buy deal they agreed last summer.
Assuming they eventually figure that out, Higuain just might become a Chelsea player before the end of the month.