Higuain told he can leave Juventus

Juventus have communicated to striker Gonzalo Higuain that he is no longer required and can leave the club this summer.

The Argentina international has returned to Turin this summer after Chelsea decided against either extending Higuain's loan deal or signing him on a permanent basis.

As such he was set to be reunited with Maurizio Sarri at the Allianz Stadium having played under the new Bianconeri manager at both Napoli and Chelsea.

But with Cristiano Ronaldo set to be Juve's starting striker in 2019-20 and a move for Inter star Mauro Icardi very much on the table, Goal can reveal that Higuain has been told via a phone call with his entourage that he is surplus to requirements.

The Juventus hierarchy are keen to get his €7.5m-per-year wages off the club's books after a flurry of new signings and the potential additional cost of signing Icardi.

Aaron Ramsey and Adrien Rabiot have both arrived on free transfers while a deal to sign Ajax defender Matthijs de Ligt is close to being agreed, with the Netherlands international set to earn €12m-per-season having agreed terms on a five-year deal.

Gianluigi Buffon is also set to make a return to the club he left for Paris Saint-Germain 12 months ago, though his salary will be far less costly.

Sources close to the deal have told Goal that Buffon will undergo his medical on Thursday before signing a one-year contract worth €1.5m plus bonuses.

Should Higuain go onto depart this summer, he will leave a club he joined in the summer of 2016 for €90 million in what was at the time a Serie A record.

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He has made 105 appearances in all competitions for the Italian champions, scoring 55 goals before his loan spells at AC Milan and Chelsea last term.

One club who have shown an interest in signing the 31-year-old are Roma, who enquired as to Higuain's availability during the negotiations that saw Luca Pellegrini join Juve and Leonardo Spinazzola move in the opposite direction.

The Giallorossi are likely to be in the market for a striker this summer with Edin Dzeko emerging as a top target for Inter, and Juve have given the capital club permission to speak to Higuain directly should they wish to sign him.

Juve are also still looking for a buyer for Mario Mandzukic, with it unlikely that the former Bayern Munich man will be required much under Sarri.