Former Arsenal target Gonzalo Higuain says he has developed as a player since moving to Napoli last summer.
Higuain appeared to be close to a move to Arsenal during last summer’s transfer window, after being made available by Real Madrid – but ended up completing a transfer to Napoli.
The striker revealed in December that the passion displayed by Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis was a major factor in opting to move to Naples rather than London. And Higuain is delighted with the choice he made, explaining that he feels he has developed as a footballer during his time in Italy.
‘When I went to Spain it was a risk because I was really young’, he told El Pais.
‘But I quickly learned the game and I grew as a result. Serie A has been the same for me – except it’s a more competitive league. Maybe the quality of the games is slightly less (than Spain) but from a tactical point of view it’s a big step up.
‘The defenders in Italy are stronger and that makes me better’.
Some Arsenal fans believe that Higuain’s choice to move to Napoli was a major factor in the club’s unsuccessful bid to win the Premier League title last season.
The Guardian reported that the former Real Madrid man was close to completing a £23 million move to Arsenal in July of last year, but the deal never materialised.
The Argentine forward would have been quite a coup for Arsenal, providing the club with much needed quality upfront, where they lacked options throughout the season.
Although Olivier Giroud put in a series of respectable performances Arsenal, there was no real competition for places upfront. And Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is still on the look-out for a front-man for this season.
Higuain scored 17 times in the league during Napoli’s 2013/14 campaign, where they ended up finishing third in Italy’s top division.
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