Official: Inter Milan complete the signing of Arturo Vidal

Inter Milan have officially announced that they have signed Arturo Vidal from Barcelona on a permanent deal.

Inter Milan have made an official statement to confirm that they have secured the services of Arturo Vidal. The Nerazzurri will pay Barcelona €1 million in variable payment, having not shelled out anything on a base fee. The 33-year-old has reportedly penned a two-year contract with Inter.

Vidal joined Barcelona from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2018 and enjoyed a reasonably successful maiden campaign at Barcelona, winning the La Liga title. The 2019/20 season saw the Blaugrana encounter choppy waters, but Vidal remained one of the more consistent performers in a sub-par team.

Since joining Barcelona, Vidal has made nearly 100 appearances, with a handy return of 11 goals and 10 assists to show for his efforts. However, after the disastrous end to the 2019/20 season, the veteran midfielder was deemed to be one of many players as surplus to requirements at Barcelona. And, Inter Milan looked to pounce on the Chilean’s situation.

At Inter, Antonio Conte’s project is in full swing, with the Italian giants now looking to go one step further after narrowly missing out on two titles last season. The Nerazzurri have already added youthful exuberance in the form Achraf Hakimi, while the deals for Nicolo Barella, Stefano Sensi and Alexis Sanchez have been made permanent.

However, Conte had been in the need to sign an experienced head in the midfield department after the departure of Borja Valero, while Roberto Gagliardini and Matias Vecino have been linked with summer exits as well. Vidal, as a result, had emerged as a viable target for Inter Milan, whose position was further strengthened by the fact that Barcelona wanted to part ways with him.

As per the official statement made by Barcelona, the Serie A outfit have not paid any initial fee for the 33-year-old after signing him, but the Catalans would be entitled to receive €1 million in variable payments. While neither statement mentions the duration of his contract, the reliable Fabrizio Romano has claimed that Vidal has signed a two-year deal with the Nerazzurri.

Vidal has now become the sixth Chilean player to represent Inter, and is set to be reunited with former Juventus boss Antonio Conte. As for Barcelona, he is their second major departure this summer following Ivan Rakitic’s move to Sevilla. A new phase now beckons the Chilean at Inter. It will be interesting to see if he can continue his trophy-winning habit at San Siro this season.