Inter Miami’s long-awaited No. 9 signing has been completed.
The Athletic can confirm that former Juventus striker Gonzalo Higuaín has agreed to personal terms with the expansion side, news first reported by Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano. Higuaín will be brought in on a free transfer after the player and his former club Juventus agreed on a deal to forego the final year of his contract with the Serie A side. Details of Higuaín’s contract with Inter Miami were not immediately available, but the 32-year-old Argentine is expected to become Inter Miami’s third designated player.
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Higuaín will immediately quarantine upon his arrival in the United States. With phase one of the league’s return-to-play schedule coming to a close, and phase two’s fixture dates still unknown, Higuaín’s MLS debut will depend on his fitness and the upcoming regular season calendar.
Inter Miami currently sits 13th in the 14-team Eastern Conference with two wins, and began life in MLS with the worst start for an expansion side in league history. With just eight goals scored in 10 games this season, it had become obvious that Inter Miami was in dire need of a legitimate goal-scoring threat.
The inexperienced duo of Julian Carranza and Robbie Robinson, plus MLS veteran Juan Agudelo, have all shared time at central striker. None have provided the impact that Miami has needed in front of the goal. Instead, playmaker Rodolfo Pizarro has had to shoulder that responsibility while also orchestrating Alonso’s attack. The Mexican international has three goals thus far.
With Higuaín involved, Miami manager Diego Alonso — who himself is a former striker — can now structure his system to fit an accomplished goalscorer of Higuaín’s caliber. Higuaín is well-traveled, having played for River Plate, Real Madrid, Chelsea, Napoli and AC Milan before his time with Juventus. After scoring over 230 goals in Europe, Higuaín will immediately change the way Inter Miami plays.
Higuaín is a technical forward who has always exhibited a high-level of composure and skill while in possession. He’s comfortable receiving the ball in half spaces with his back to goal and has proven to be a ruthless finisher inside the box. On a Juventus side that featured attacking options like Cristiano Ronaldo, Paulo Dybala and Federico Bernardeschi, Higuaín rotated in and out of the lineup as Juve’s central striker.
A goal that he scored versus Napoli in 2019 shows Higuaín’s awareness against a high line, high pressing side, and what his role was when Juventus played out of the back like Miami aims to do. After receiving the ball under a bit of pressure, Higuaín calmly plays the ball wide to Ronaldo and continues his run. Blaise Matuidi, who he will reunite with in Miami, finds Higuaín inside the box.
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Tightly marked by Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly, Higuaín is able to beat the Sengalese center back with a half turn and quick chop before finishing emphatically with his right instep. That type of tight control is why Higuaín was long considered to be one of the most complete strikers in Europe.
Higuaín is calm and purposeful inside the box, an area of the pitch that becomes frenetic during chance creation. His ability to turn defenders is perhaps his trademark, and like any prolific striker, Higuaín will shoot on goal no matter how difficult the angle. He made just 14 appearances for Chelsea during a difficult spell in 2019, but this goal against Burnley is an example of the Argentine’s ball skills and shooting technique.
Higuaín should fit in seamlessly on an Inter Miami team that is technical while employing a defend-and-counter strategy. The former Argentina international will instantly become Miami’s main attacking target and a viable partner for Pizarro, who should now be allowed to operate in more of a facilitator’s role.
The David Beckham-owned club was expected to become an MLS glamor team, but their inaugural roster was missing a globally-recognized name. That changed when Miami signed Matuidi in late August. The Frenchman has played 109 minutes in two appearances for Miami while he continues to play his way back to 90-minute match fitness. With Higuaín’s signing, the club’s profile has risen, with expectations to match.
It will be interesting to see how soon Alonso integrates Higuaín into the match-day roster. Without a reliable No. 9, Alonso has opted to give up possession and absorb pressure. Juventus, one of the world’s most talented teams, routinely controlled matches by out-possessing their opponents.
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However, in 2015/16 with Napoli, Higuaín was just as dangerous in transition. He’s not a poacher and certainly has never been one-dimensional. Within Napoli’s fast-paced style of play, Higuaín was not a static central striker. Instead he spearheaded the attack with aggressive runs into space.
He has lost a step, but Higuaín should excel against weaker defensive opposition in MLS.
(Photo: Jonathan Moscrop / Getty Images)
