Introduction
Gonzalo Higuain was a key player for Real Madrid during his seven-year tenure with the team. He scored 121 goals in 264 appearances and helped the club win three La Liga titles and one Copa del Rey.
However, in the summer of 2013, he was sold to Napoli for €37 million. This decision surprised many fans and pundits since Higuain was still relatively young and had been a consistent performer for Los Blancos. So why did Madrid sell him
The Arrival of Carlo Ancelotti
Carlo Ancelotti replaced Jose Mourinho as Real Madrid’s head coach in the summer of 2013. The Italian manager had a different tactical philosophy than Mourinho, who preferred a more defensive style of play.
Ancelotti wanted his team to play an attacking brand of football that relied on quick transitions from defense to offense. He also favored a 4-3-3 formation with Cristiano Ronaldo playing as the central striker.
Higuain’s Role in Ancelotti’s System
Higuain was not a natural fit for Ancelotti’s system. Although he was a prolific scorer, he lacked the pace and mobility needed to lead the line in an attacking trio alongside Ronaldo and Gareth Bale. Karim Benzema, on the other hand, had those qualities and was better suited to play as a false nine or second striker.
The Need for Income
Real Madrid has always been one of the biggest spenders in world football, regularly shelling out large amounts of money for new signings. However, they also need to balance their books by selling players who are deemed surplus to requirements or who can fetch a high transfer fee.
In the case of Higuain, Real Madrid received an offer from Napoli that they couldn’t refuse. The Italian club was willing to pay €37 million for the Argentine striker, which was a significant amount of money at the time. Real Madrid could use that money to reinvest in their squad and strengthen other areas of the team.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Real Madrid sold Higuain because he didn’t fit into Carlo Ancelotti’s attacking system and because they needed the income from his sale to finance other transfers. While Higuain went on to have a successful career with Napoli, Juventus, and Chelsea, Real Madrid continued to dominate Spanish football with Benzema as their first-choice striker.
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