Chelsea poised to beat AC Milan to Higuain's signature

Chelsea have leapfrogged AC Milan in the race to sign Gonzalo Higuain after tabling a bigger contract for the Juventus striker, claims The Daily Mirror.

Juventus are looking to recoup some of their £90m investment to sign Cristiano Ronaldo earlier this summer and Higuain is one of several high profile names free to leave the club.

The Old Lady made Higuain their club record signing two years ago but are ready to dispense with the Argentina international, with Chelsea and Milan circling.

Higuain’s preference is to stay in Italy but Chelsea have gazumped Milan’s £80,000-a-week offer with a stunning £120,000-a-week contract.

New Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri wants to overhaul the club’s offensive options this summer and has made reuniting with Higuain a priority in the final two weeks of the transfer window.

Higuain produced the best football of his career under Sarri at Napoli, earning a blockbuster £77m move to Juventus as a result of his displays during the 2015/16 campaign.

The 30-year-old ended that season with 36 league goals, breaking Gunnar Nordahl’s record haul in a single Serie A campaign set in 1949-50 season.