Higuain: Juventus have a winning mentality and an incredible project

Gonzalo Higuain spoke to the media today in his first press conference after completing his transfer from Napoli to Juventus.

The 28-year-old forward spoke about his time at the Naples club and his unhappy relationship with President Aurelio Di Laurentiis.

"My relationship with him was never good because his way of thinking was not like mine. My choice was also influenced because he pushed me to make it.

"The problem was the relationship with him. I wouldn’t have wanted to spend another minute with him!

"Now I am very happy and I thank Juve for the great effort they made to get me."

"I chose this team above everyone else because they are an excellent side with a very exciting project. I’m humbled by the efforts made by the club to bring here and I’m looking forward to a successful season."

On his reasons for moving to Turin -

"Juve are an important club throughout the world. One of the reasons for coming was also linked to their big club mentality.

"They are a great team. They have a winning mentality and an incredible project. I thank Marotta, Paratici and Agnelli. Now I have to show my worth and I hope to have a great season.

"In life you make decisions by thinking about what is best for yourself. And I have done it by choosing Juve.

"Obviously it wasn’t easy, I had long days with my friends and family. The Juventus mentality is something important for a player like me."

He then went into more details, as reported on Juventus’ official website -

"Everyone knows what Juve are all about. The whole setup here is based on winning and they are used to doing so. This club is built for success. I can’t wait to see what I can achieve here and to make the most of this opportunity.

"I hope to repay the faith of the club’s directors and of course to demonstrate my value in the coming season with Juventus. The efforts to bring me here were truly humbling and it is up to me to show my worth to my new fans."

On which Juventus players he admired -

"Alessandro Del Piero. I played against him with Real Madrid and he was fantastic."

The stupendous mercato that the Bianconeri have had so far by signing Miralem Pjanic, Dani Alves, Marko Pjaca and Medhi Benatia also played a big part in convincing the player -

"The ambition shown over the summer was an important factor for me. Combined with the desire of the players already here, this was an offer I could not refuse. The depth of this squad is one of its greatest strengths and the competition for places all over the field is a massive advantage for us."

On his relationship with countryman Paulo Dybala -

"I enjoyed linking up with Paulo on international duty and the video he sent to welcome me! He is a fantastic player and I’m excited to see what we can achieve together and hope we can move the club forward in the coming years."

He left the press conference with a nod to his new teammates -

"Successful sides are founded on the collective performances of the entire side and with the options we have here, ours in an excellent position to be in."