Trevor Steven: Gonzalo Higuain can save Chelsea’s top four hopes, Ivan Perisic is the boost Arsenal need and Tottenham’s inactivity is mystifying
Smart signings are possible in the January transfer window, such as Tottenham’s purchase of Dele Alli from MK Dons in 2015 and Leicester’s recruitment of Riyad Mahrez from Le Havre in 2014, but they don’t tend to be big names. Chelsea’s loan deal for Gonzalo Higuain is one of the few; it’s rare to get a player of that quality this month.
Higuain knows how to score goals. I’ve wondered whether he is quick enough, but he makes up for it with his movement and ability to sniff out opportunities. At 31, there is no more scope for him to improve but I think Chelsea have got him at a good time; he’s the finished article, he won’t be intimidated and will want to show how good he can be in the Premier League.
I think the Blues are also the perfect match for the Argentinian. They have the cuteness of play around the penalty area to suit Higuain’s style and manager Maurizio Sarri knows him well from their time together at Napoli, where the striker scored 92 goals in 147 games.
Chelsea have been in need of a lift and Higuain’s arrival can provide it. Sarri has made clear that he has been unhappy with their attitude in some recent games; this will be a slap across the chops and a new team-mate to be excited about.
He has only joined on loan until the end of the season but it’s the crucial part of the campaign. Chelsea are currently in the top four; they need to stay there and Manchester United are on their tails.
I’m surprised it’s taken Higuain so long to come to England but now that he’s here I’m looking forward to seeing how he does. At every club he has joined — including Real Madrid, Juventus and AC Milan — he has risen to the challenge and scored goals.
I expect him to thrive in the Premier League and I think his goals are the team’s best chance of holding off United and finishing in the top four.
Perisic would lift Arsenal
January signings ought to be ready to slot straight into the team and that would certainly be the case if Arsenal succeed in a loan move for Inter Milan’s Ivan Perisic.
The Croatia winger, 29, is someone with the attributes to adapt very quickly to the Premier League. He has pace, very good technique and is a hard worker. I’d have no hesitation in signing a player of his quality.
Arsenal are just outside the top four at the moment and need a push. Perisic, a star of Croatia’s run to the World Cup final last summer who has played at the highest level in Germany and Italy, can be that inspiration.
I also think the player would relish the move. Perisic would have the chance to live in London, play for a big club and prove to the Gunners that he’s worth signing on a permanent deal in July.
Risky Spurs
Tottenham’s lack of activity, meanwhile, is difficult to understand. Their key players, Harry Kane and Alli, are out for a few weeks and will then need to regain form. They should make an impact late in the season, but will it be too late to keep Spurs in the top four?
They could have gone after Higuain. Their need is arguably greater than Chelsea’s as, with Kane injured and Fernando Llorente out of form, they lack a focal point. Son Heung-Min has played a lot of football and travelled a great deal; heaven forbid he gets injured too.
In third place and with a four-point cushion, if they do not buy Tottenham must now try to protect their position until Kane and Alli return. It’s a huge risk.