The
arrival of Gonzalo Higuain will help bring the best out of Eden Hazard at
Chelsea, says Danny Higginbotham.
The striker completed his loan move to Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, and
will stay until the end of the season. Chelsea can extend the deal in the
summer for a further 12 months, or sign him permanently from Juventus for
£31m.
Higuain is expected to become Maurizio Sarri's first-choice striker, which
will allow Eden Hazard, who has been playing as a false nine, to revert to
his favoured position on the left wing.
Higginbotham believes this will benefit Chelsea, explaining to Sky Sports
News: "He's got a great opportunity. It could benefit the other players, in
particular Hazard. He's Chelsea's best player, I don't think there's any
doubt about that.
"The key is getting him in the team and Hazard being able to shift position.
He's worked under Sarri before and knows how he works.
"There'll be hoping he comes and scores the goals, but it's about how he
benefits the rest of the team.
"I think what you'll see with Higuain is that he is more of an out-and-out
centre forward. You've got plenty of players with pace around him, so he can
be the focal point that Chelsea don't have when Hazard is playing as a false
nine."
Higuain's move to Chelsea is expected to result in Alvaro Morata leaving on
loan for Atletico Madrid.
The 26-year-old striker has scored 24 goals in 72 games for the Blues, but
Sarri revealed on Wednesday he has asked to leave the club.
Higginbotham is not surprised Morata has failed to fit in to Sarri's style
of football, saying: "He's a player that likes to stretch the game but there
wasn't any space in behind.
"At times he would find himself quite isolated, whereas Higuain and
[Olivier] Giroud are centre forwards who are happy to drop deep."
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