Sarri in the dark over Higuain deal

Maurizio Sarri has insisted he does not know whether an agreement to take Gonzalo Higuain to Chelsea is close.

The Blues are working on a deal to bring in the Argentine striker, who played under Sarri at Napoli and is currently on a season-long loan at AC Milan from Juventus.

Head coach Sarri has made it clear to club director Marina Granovskaia, who takes charge of transfer negotiations, that he believes a striker and a midfielder are needed.

Sarri says he has left the matter with Granovskaia and is confident she will deliver.

Asked at a media conference on Friday afternoon if Higuain is close to signing, Sarri said: “I don’t know. I want to be clear because I cannot help you.

“I spoke with Marina two weeks ago, so Marina knows very well my opinion on how to improve the team.

“Then I decided to be focused on the pitch; on matches, on training. So now I am confident because I know very well Marina is working very hard, but I don’t know anything about the market because I want to be focused on the matches.

“I don’t call her every evening, otherwise I would spend all my mental energy on the market and I think it’s better if I spend all my mental energy on the pitch.

“So I am not able to help you. I don’t know.”

Sarri also reiterated that a midfield replacement is needed for Cesc Fabregas, who recently joined Monaco.

“You know my opinion about the replacement of Cesc – we need a replacement in my opinion,” he said.

“Marina knows very well my opinion so I am not frustrated at the moment.”