Gianluigi Donnarumma Wishes Gonzalo Higuain Luck Ahead of Likely Chelsea Move

AC Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma has wished forward Gonzalo Higuain all the best, as his reported transfer move to Chelsea grows ever nearer. 

The Argentina international did not feature in the 2-0 win over Genoa on Monday, and after the contest the Donnarumma told Sky Italia (h/t Goal's Dan Lewis) he's sure Higuain made his choice for a reason: "If Higuain made this choice, there must be reasons, but he is a friend and I wish him all the best."

It's the latest indication a transfer is all but done and dusted, with reporters from Italy and England adamant an announcement could follow soon. Per BBC Sport's David Ornstein, it shouldn't take too long once an agreement has been found:

Higuain is on loan at Milan, meaning negotiations have also involved parent club Juventus. With three clubs trying to secure the best possible deal it's no wonder this saga has dragged on throughout January.

As highlighted by Ornstein, Milan have been linked with Genoa phenom Krzysztof Piatek as a possible replacement, and they're unlikely to let Higuain go unless they feel good about their other options.

The Rossoneri showed they'll be fine without the 31-year-old in Monday's outing:

According to Lewis, manager Gennaro Gattuso said Higuain didn't feature because his focus was not on the match. In his last outing, the Supercoppa Italiana, he came off the bench, and it seems he has played his last contest for the Rossoneri.

Chelsea have been searching for an answer to their striker problems all season long, with Eden Hazard playing as a central option in recent weeks. Alvaro Morata appears to have lost the faith of manager Maurizio Sarri, and his time in the British capital appears all but over, per Goal's Nizaar Kinsella:

Higuain has been far from his best this season but had his best ever campaign under Sarri at Napoli. The Blues will be banking on those two rekindling their magic, as the race for the Premier League's top four heats up.

With Arsenal beating them during the weekend and Manchester United in excellent form, there's no room for error, and Chelsea had to make a move. They opted to go big, and only time will tell whether it pays off.