Barcelona ready to beat Chelsea to sign world class midfielder
Barcelona will swoop for Arturo Vidal this summer
Barcelona are set to lay waste to one of Chelsea’s best summer transfer plans. The La Liga giants are going to beat the Blues to the signature of Bayern Munich midfielder Arturo Vidal.
Evidently the talented midfielder’s previous working relationship with Antonio Conte won’t be enough to bring Vidal to Stamford Bridge. Don Balon reports that the Chilean has his heart set on a summer move to Barcelona. The Catalan giants are prepared to bid between £50 and £60 million to convince Bayern to part with their midfield engine.
In truth, the Bundesliga giants already have a replacement for Vidal waiting in the wings. Renato Sanches is ready to take his place in Carlo Ancelotti’s starting XI. The presence of the young Portuguese star makes Vidal expendable this summer.
That’s precisely why many believed Chelsea were destined to acquire him. The Blues are one of just a handful of clubs in Europe with the financial might to satisfy Bayern’s transfer demands along with Vidal’s wage requirements. The fact that he’d previously worked with Conte at Juventus to great effect just made a Chelsea move the obvious conclusion.
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Unfortunately for Conte and Chelsea, Barcelona are prepared to throw a wrench into their plans. Luis Enrique’s squad desperately needs to add some athleticism in the midfield and view Vidal as a perfect solution to that issue. He may not be quite the dynamic presence that he was in his mid-20s, but he’d provide Barcelona with a substantial upgrade. He’s much more mobile than the likes of Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta and Ivan Rakitic.
His arrival would instantly change the complexion of Enrique’s midfield options. He would finally have a real two-way player capable of shifting his responsibilities depending on the opponent and/or his two partners in the midfield. It’s a luxury that Barcelona simply don’t have at the moment.
Fortunately for Chelsea, they don’t necessarily need to add Vidal this summer. He’d certainly give Conte more flexibility in his midfield four, but they have the money to look at a number of other options. The Blues might be wise to investigate the possibility of purchasing a younger option. Vidal isn’t ancient, but at the age of 29, he’s coming to the end of his prime years.
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The summer hasn’t arrived yet, but Chelsea have already been dealt a major blow in their offseason transfer plans. Barcelona will beat the Blues for the signature of Arturo Vidal.