Barcelona midfielder Arturo Vidal is set to hold talks with Manchester United as a January exit from Camp Nou looms large.
As per a report from Italian publication Corriere della Serra, Barcelona superstar Arturo Vidal is closing in on an exit from the club in the ongoing transfer window, as he prepares to hold talks with Premier League giants Manchester United.
Vidal made his name in Europe with Bayer Leverkusen, before going on to enjoy trophy-laden spells at Juventus and Bayern Munich. The 32-year-old joined Barcelona in the summer of 2018 and went on to win the La Liga title in his first season in Spain, achieving the unique feat of having won league title in eight consecutive seasons.
However, Vidal finds himself behind the likes of Ivan Rakitic, Sergio Busquets and Frenkie de Jong at Barcelona. The Chilean has done well at every opportunity he has been handed by manager Ernesto Valverde, but hasn’t been able to become a regular starter, which is understood be a major cause of frustration for the player.
As a result, Vidal is pushing for an exit from Barcelona in January, with Inter Milan and Manchester United among the interested parties for his services. Inter Milan boss Antonio Conte is a known admirer of the midfielder, having worked with him at Juventus. He is seeking a reunion with the Chilean, as he seeks to lead Inter to the Serie A title.
However, Inter will have to battle it out with Manchester United to secure the signing of Vidal. The Red Devils have been lacking quality in the midfield department and need serious reinforcements if they are to push for a top-four finish in the second half of the season.
While Vidal will not be a long-term solution, the 32-year-old offers manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer loads of quality, along with his volumes of experience and leadership skills – something that Manchester United seem to be lacking on the field this season.
To that end, Manchester United are set to hold talks with Vidal’s agent Fernando Felicevich, having passed up a chance to sign him not very long ago. Felicevich is already in Italy as per the report, meeting with representatives from Inter Milan.
The report further adds that Barcelona will be demanding a €20 million fee for the 32-year-old, who still has eighteen months left on his contract with the Catalan giants.
Vidal has featured in 15 La Liga matches this term, only four of which have been from the start. But, the midfielder has found the back of the net on six occasions. The 32-year-old still has plenty left to offer and would be a good stop-gap solution for either Inter Milan or Manchester United.
As things stand, an exit from Barcelona in January seems a strong possibility for Vidal. But, it remains to be seen where the 32-year-old ends up before the transfer window closes.
