Liverpool Transfer News: Gonzalo Higuain Move Creates More Issues Than It Solves

Brendan Rodgers is reportedly looking to prise Gonzalo Higuain out of Naples this winter in a bid to give his side another "proven world class" option up front.

That's according to Jamie Anderson of the Daily Express, but it might be wise for the Reds to take another review of their options before spending a reported £31.2 million on a forward who's no certain solution.

Tim Ireland/Associated Press

The departure of Luis Suarez over the summer has created foreseeable issues in attack, as is only understandable when a Golden Boot-winning presence such as that heads for the exit.

Mario Balotelli and Rickie Lambert have a world of expectation on their shoulders in attempting to provide Daniel Sturridge with the backup needed to fulfill the attacking presence now gone missing. WhoScored.com shows the former is indeed striving to hit Suarez's heights, but he's lacking in accuracy:

At least the Italian is trying, though, an attitude which Rafa Benitez might say Higuain could do with more of, considering he's only had six shots in four Serie A appearances this season, per Squawka.

In this new Liverpool era that the world has gotten so excited over in the past year, splurging in extreme amounts on players who represent far from assured value has become a thing of the past. Instead, the club has adopted a more pragmatic trend, acquiring assets on the cusp of greater things.

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In that sense, Higuain would be more of a throwback to the days gone by, and the figures related to his transfer are far outside what a club under investigation for possible breach of Financial Fair Play rules should be contemplating.

UEFA released a statement regarding Liverpool's case as one of seven clubs currently under the governing body's microscope:

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The Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) has opened formal investigations into seven clubs (AS Monaco FC, AS Roma, Beşiktaş JK, FC Internazionale Milano, FC Krasnodar, Liverpool FC and Sporting Clube de Portugal) as they disclosed a break-even deficit on the basis of their financial reporting periods ending in 2012 and 2013. These clubs will need to submit additional monitoring information during October and November upon the deadlines set by the CFCB, subsequent to which an additional communication will be made and conservatory measures may be imposed.

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It may be a non-issue for the Merseysiders, but Napoli are under no dire need to sell their striker just yet, and so giving in to such high demands in the winter may not be the smartest tactic.

Of course, Sturridge won't always be absent. It's unfortunate that his injury came so soon, before Balotelli even had much of a time frame to readapt to the English top flight, Lambert moving up to No. 2 in the pecking order.

Bogdan Maran/Associated Press

And it's also poor timing that Raheem Sterling should slip out of form at this time, the club's second-most threatening goal threat hitting a rough patch of late.

However, Liverpool remain confident in their starlet and Metro says the side will offer the winger a massive bump in salary to reject any transfer advances:

If Higuain were to arrive at Anfield, it would leave the club with a fully fit line-up of him, along with Sturridge, Balotelli and Lambert, that trio costing around the same sum combined as Higuain would alone.

That's when the dilemmas begin. Does Sturridge drop out of the side in favour of the South American? Does Rodgers ditch the wings and begin a pairing of two up top, or do his new strikers move out wide themselves? And where does Balotelli fit into all this?

Salvatore Laporta/Associated Press

Spending so much on a shiny new centre-forward undoubtedly creates the need to give that figure playing time so that he might prove his price tag. And speaking of proving one's self, Higuain netted 17 goals in 32 Serie A appearances last season, a good ratio by all means, but is it more than £30 million worth?

In time, Balotelli should come to find more of a groove, Sturridge will return to get back in the goals and others in the Liverpool squad will do their bit. Higuain stands as little more than a knee-jerk reaction and an unnecessarily expensive one at that.