FIFA's disciplinary committee has issued Chelsea a sanction which will require the club to pay a fine and could ban them from incoming transfers for two windows. The punishment comes as the Blues circumvented rules signing 29 players under age 18. What could the possible ban mean for Higuain and the chances that he could return to Juventus? One interpretation from the attorney Grassani speaking to RMC Sport: "It's definitely possible that the transfer ban would prevent Chelsea from bringing in players on loan or purchasing them, and this sanction would prohibit the redemption of the player. There's a chance the two clubs will be playing a chess match over him. If Higuain doesn't live up to his high wages, Chelsea would not try to keep him, but Juventus in this scenario would do all that they could not to take him back. The contract allows Chelsea to extend the loan until 30 June 2020, paying €18 million during the 2019/2020 season, or to purchase him outright for €36 million payable over two seasons."
Other voices have supposed that the transfer ban perhaps could not affect Higuain: Article 10 of FIFA's code allows that players on loan are treated as identical to players owned outright. So according to this interpretation, if Chelsea decided to extend the loan or to purchase the player before June 30, and according to the previously agreed on terms, there would be no issue brought on by the transfer ban. It's worth remembering that Higuain has a purchase obligation based on a certain number of appearances, goals, and other milestones.
Chelsea have the opportunity to appeal the ban, and the condition of Higuain could not be impacted at all if overturned.
