Both Manchester United and Manchester City turned down the chance to sign Chilean midfielder Arturo Vidal this summer, before he moved to Barcelona.
As per reports from The Sun, Premier League champions Manchester City and arch rivals Manchester United rejected the opportunity to sign Arturo Vidal from Bayern Munich, before he joined La Liga champions Barcelona this summer.
The 31-year-old Chilean midfielder completed his transfer to Camp Nou on Monday, signing on a three-year contract, after the Catalans had confirmed that the deal was agreed between the two clubs this past weekend. He became Barcelona’s fourth signing of the summer, following the arrivals of Arthur Melo, Clement Lenglet and Malcom.
However, before the former Juventus midfielder finalized his move to the La Liga giants, both the Manchester clubs were offered a chance to sign him. But, Manchester United and Manchester City decided not to act on it, owing to the player’s age and injury issues.
It is no secret that Manchester City are on the lookout for new additions to their midfield, after having been beaten to the signings of Fred and Jorginho by Manchester United and Chelsea, respectively. Manager Pep Guardiola is intent on bolstering his options in the middle of the park, as he looks to conquer Europe after his team’s domination in the Premier League last season.
The reigning English champions have been recently linked with a move for Real Madrid superstar Toni Kroos. But, Vidal was an option for Manchester City, considering the success that the Chilean enjoyed with the former Barcelona manager during the pair’s time in Munich.
Arturo Vidal: "I want to win 3 UEFA Champions Leagues in my 3 years here." pic.twitter.com/ZRO89cmVW3
— Barca Universal (@BarcaUniversal) August 7, 2018
Manchester United, on the other hand, have strengthened their midfield by bringing in Fred from Shakhtar Donetsk early in the summer. However, manager Jose Mourinho remains unhappy with the depth of his squad, as he looks to wrestle back the league title from the clutches of Manchester City.
And with Barcelona reportedly trying to make a late swoop for club record signing Paul Pogba, the Red Devils are looking at the possibility of adding another body to their central midfield before the English transfer window shuts on Thursday.
However, both Manchester United and Manchester City decided to let go of their chances to land Barcelona new boy this summer, with concerns over his fitness. The 31-year-old has had serious troubles with his knee and has undergone two major surgeries in the recent past, which cast a doubt on his ability to maintain the aggressive style of play that he is known for.
Despite there being a few question marks over his injury issues, there is no denying the fact that Vidal is a serial winner, who has won seven consecutive league titles since 2011-12 (4 with Juventus, 3 with Bayern). The value he would bring to any team, with his experience and winning mentality, would have been immense.
With Manchester City and Manchester United passing up the chance to sign Vidal, Barcelona have gotten their hands on a proven performer who will strengthen their side going ahead, as they look to conquer Europe for the first time since 2015. As the old adage goes, ‘One man’s loss is another man’s gain’.
