Juventus will be terminating the contracts of both Sami Khedira and Gonzalo Higuain as neither player features in Andrea Pirlo’s plans. The pair are in the final years of their Juventus contracts, however, the management has apparently made it clear that Pirlo doesn’t consider them part of his team going into next season. The club legend this month took over from Maurizio Sarri, who was axed after the Old Lady’s Champions League exit at the hand of Lyon despite a title win.
The Serie A champions are looking to significantly reduce their wage bill, and are willing to let several first-team players leave, including Douglas Costa. Blaise Matuidi, despite being a first-team regular under Sarri, has already been moved on after his contract was cancelled by mutual consent this week. The 33-year-old today joined MLS side Inter Miami on a free transfer. Now the club has decided to follow the same path with Higuaín and Khedira, two of their older players, opting to cut all ties this summer.
Both players are close to the end to their adventure with the ‘Bianconeri’, but the conditions will be different: Khedira is out from December for injuries, Higuain is in shape. The severance pays won’t be the same, and Juventus clearly want to find an agreement with the two players.
Higuain, 32, scored eight goals over 32 appearances in the 2019-20 Serie A season after spending the previous term on separate loans to AC Milan and Chelsea. He was stripped of the No. 9 jersey upon his return to Juventus last summer and given the No. 21 instead, and was firmly second fiddle to Cristiano Ronaldo and Paulo Dybala in Maurizio Sarri’s strike force.
Khedira, meanwhile, is set to follow fellow midfielders Miralem Pjanic and Blaise Matuidi out of the club as Pirlo begins to reconstruct the midfield in Turin. The 33-year-old started only nine matches in the league campaign as he sometimes appeared to struggle with the physical demands of his position. Juventus have already completed the signing of Arthur Melo from Barcelona. A move to the MLS has been rumoured for Higuain, while Khedira could return to the Bundesliga.
