Chelsea 'Confident' of Cheaper Deal for Gonzalo Higuain if They Make Loan Permanent

Chelsea will reportedly try and negotiate a smaller transfer fee with Juventus for on-loan striker Gonzalo Higuain should they wish to buy the player outright at the end of the season, although no deal at all is likely to happen should Maurizio Sarri be sacked.

Having taken Higuain on an initial six-month loan in January, Chelsea have the option to make the deal permanent for a fee of €36m, or loan him again for the duration of next season for €18m.

Catherine Ivill/GettyImages

According to ESPN, Juventus cannot afford to keep Higuain after signing Cristiano Ronaldo last summer, leading to the suggestion that Chelsea believe the reigning Italian champions will accept less than the €36m for a permanent deal because of their 'financial commitments'.

Aside from paying Ronaldo a reported €31m per year, Juve have also recently agreed a contract with Aaron Ramsey that stands to make the Welshman one of the highest paid players in the world.

Whether Chelsea go ahead in their efforts to sign Higuain at all will hinge on the future of manager Maurizio Sarri, who ESPN explain persuaded the club to put aside their valid reservations over Higuain's age and substantial wages - a reported €9.5m per year.

ANDREAS HILLERGREN/GettyImages

Following on from last weekend's humiliating 6-0 defeat at the hands of Manchester City there has been much speculation this week that Sarri could be replaced as Chelsea boss - Zinedine Zidane and Laurent Blanc are two names already linked with the job this week.

Sarri is reportedly 'under pressure' to win the Europa League this season. And that is supported by ESPN's assertion that while Chelsea are 'not considering Sarri's position' at this moment in time, 'further setbacks' in the remainder of the season could put his job at risk.