Higuain performance clauses for €18m loan include third place and Europa League title — report

Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia called the deal “complicated”, in part due to the many moving parts and multiple stakeholders, but also undoubtedly because of the structured nature of the arrangement that she’s crafted with Juventus in order to bring in 31-year-old Gonzalo Higuain for the rest of the season as Sarri’s first-choice center forward.

In a sort of reverse-Cuadrado situation, Chelsea are paying an not insignificant €9m this season for Higuain (with AC Milan having paid €9m already for the first half of the season). As confirmed by Juventus’ official press release (as a publicly traded company), Chelsea then have the option next summer to extend the loan on the same terms (€18m loan fee for the season) or make the move permanent for a total payment of €36m “payable in two years”. Basically, we get to choose our level of investment, though at the moment it seems unlikely that we would go above the current €9m payment. (Striker search Summer 2019 here we come!)

What could prompt Chelsea to exercise the option for next season or beyond? According to a (slightly confusing) report from CalcioMercato, the performance-related clauses involved in that decision include Chelsea finishing third in the league AND winning the Europa League. Certainly achievable goals ... if Higuain graces us with a few goals. The extra income generated from those goals could almost pay for Higuain, too.

Still, let’s start small. How about a goal against second division Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday (since he’s ineligible to play tomorrow against Spurs)?