Gianfranco Zola has insisted Gonzalo Higuain can make the same instant impact in the Premier League for Chelsea as he did.

Higuain is set to make his debut in the FA Cup Fourth Round against Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday having completed a loan deal from Juventus.

Chelsea’s new signing has been questioned in some quarters as he is 31 and is coming in the middle of the season, which means he has little time to adapt to a new country and division.

But Zola was 30 when he made the move from Parma in November 1996 and went on to win the Football Writers’ Player of the Year six months later. He spent seven years at Stamford Bridge and is regarded as one of the greatest in the club’s history.

Higuain has the benefit of working under manager Mauricio Sarri, who was his coach at Napoli when he set a Serie A record of 36 goals with Napoli.

And Zola, who is now Chelsea’s assistant manager, said: “He's coming late, but he's coming in a team that plays a system he knows very well, so this is a big advantage.

“Here there are the type of players will help him to do what he can do best.

“The conditions are good. There is no problem there. Simple as that.

“What I always thought when I first came over here was to read the League, read the weaknesses of the League, but also the potentials, don't underestimate and have an open mind. That's what allowed me to get into the system quickly.

“With him it's going to be the same. I'm sure he's going to be looking at defenders, saying 'oh those defenders tactically make some mistakes', which is true sometimes.

“The intensity and the physicality of the game you have here, I'm sure he'll be studying it, reading the situations and using his ability to get the goals that we need.

“I'm sure there are big expectations. I'm also Gonzalo is used to it. He's played for big clubs. Real Madrid, Juventus, Napoli. I'm sure he can handle these expectations.

In Pictures | Chelsea transfers targets and possible departures 13 show all In Pictures | Chelsea transfers targets and possible departures 1/13 What transfer business will Sarri complete in the coming year? Sarri has another home tie in the FA Cup. Getty Images 2/13 Done deal Name: Gonzalo Higuain

Original club: Juventus

Position: Striker

Age: 31

AFP/Getty Images 3/13 Done deal Name: Victor Moses

New club: Fenerbahce (loan)

Position: Winger

Age: 28

Getty Images 4/13 Target Name: Elseid Hysaj

Club: Napoli

Position: Defender

Age: 24

Reuters 5/13 Target Name: Leandro Paredes

Club: Zenit

Position: Midfielder

Age: 24

Getty Images 6/13 Target Name: Nicolo Barella

Club: Cagliari

Position: Midfielder

Age: 21

Getty Images 7/13 Likely departure Name: Callum Hudson-Odoi

Position: Winger

Age: 18

Reuters 8/13 Done deal Name: Alvaro Morata

New club: Atletico Madrid (18-month loan)

Position: Striker

Age: 26

Getty Images 9/13 Possible departure Name: Danny Drinkwater

Position: Midfielder

Age: 28

Getty Images 10/13 Possible departure Name: Gary Cahill

Position: Defender

Age: 33

Getty Images 11/13 Possible departure Name: Michy Batshuayi

Position: Striker

Age: 25

PA 12/13 Possible departure Name: Davide Zappacosta

Position: Defender

Age: 26

Getty Images 13/13 Possible departure Name: Emerson Palmieri

Position: Defender

Age: 24

Getty Images 1/13 What transfer business will Sarri complete in the coming year? Sarri has another home tie in the FA Cup. Getty Images 2/13 Done deal Name: Gonzalo Higuain

Original club: Juventus

Position: Striker

Age: 31

AFP/Getty Images 3/13 Done deal Name: Victor Moses

New club: Fenerbahce (loan)

Position: Winger

Age: 28

Getty Images 4/13 Target Name: Elseid Hysaj

Club: Napoli

Position: Defender

Age: 24

Reuters 5/13 Target Name: Leandro Paredes

Club: Zenit

Position: Midfielder

Age: 24

Getty Images 6/13 Target Name: Nicolo Barella

Club: Cagliari

Position: Midfielder

Age: 21

Getty Images 7/13 Likely departure Name: Callum Hudson-Odoi

Position: Winger

Age: 18

Reuters 8/13 Done deal Name: Alvaro Morata

New club: Atletico Madrid (18-month loan)

Position: Striker

Age: 26

Getty Images 9/13 Possible departure Name: Danny Drinkwater

Position: Midfielder

Age: 28

Getty Images 10/13 Possible departure Name: Gary Cahill

Position: Defender

Age: 33

Getty Images 11/13 Possible departure Name: Michy Batshuayi

Position: Striker

Age: 25

PA 12/13 Possible departure Name: Davide Zappacosta

Position: Defender

Age: 26

Getty Images 13/13 Possible departure Name: Emerson Palmieri

Position: Defender

Age: 24

Getty Images

“He's always produced good numbers wherever he's been. This is not a team that is desperate. It's a team that needs to add certain qualities to what it already has. We're going to help Higuain to get his goals, but also Higuain will help the team if he scores.”

Higuain has struggled on loan at AC Milan this term, scoring just eight goals before asking for his season-long loan at the San Siro to be cut short in order to go to Stamford Bridge.

Some pundits have questioned whether he is now past his best, but Zola added: “It is exactly the same questions they posed when I came over here. It is the same question you pose when players come here.

“Yes, we know he's coming from a different league, maybe a league where the intensity and rhythms are lower than the Premier League, but we're talking about a player who has scored not only in Italy, but everywhere, also in the Champions League.

“We are talking about a top player. I'm confident he can give something to the team and that the team will give him something. There is a lot of positive things that can happen.

“Twenty years ago, 15 years ago, I would've said coming here it's a difficult age. Now with the level of professionalism and with the resources that the players have, 31 is a good age. There is not a doubt about that. Plus the age relates to the person. It seems he takes care of himself.”