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What's the story?
Barcelona has completed the signing of 31-year-old midfielder, Arturo Vidal from Bayern Munich after the Chilean agreed terms with the Catalan club. According to reports from the Guardian, Barca has stolen a march on Inter Milan, who had previously been hot favorites to land the signature of the box-to-box midfielder, with a last-minute bid worth somewhere in the region of €30 million.
In case you didn't know...
Vidal has been heavily linked with a return to Serie A this summer after spending three seasons in the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich. Having previously spent time at Juventus, both Milan teams had been vying for the Chilean's signature, with Inter Milan leading the race until recently. Instead, Inter will reportedly turn their attention to Real Madrid and Croatia midfielder, Luka Modric.
This is the second time this summer that Barcelona has swooped in to capture a player on the brink of signing for an Italian team. A couple of weeks ago, the La Liga champions signed Malcom from under the noses of Roma. In retaliation, the official Twitter account of I Giallorossi blocked all tweets mentioning the young Brazilian prior to the meeting between both clubs in the International Champions Cup a couple of days ago.
The heart of the matter
Barcelona has been seeking a replacement for Paulinho who left the Nou Camp for China this summer. The hole left in midfield by the Bazilian could suit the style of Vidal who controls play when in possession and has boundless energy in attacking and getting back to defend. While the Chilean is entering the twilight of his career at 31 years old, a transfer fee of €30 million is good business for an experienced player who can walk straight into the first team at the Nou Camp.
Rumour Probability: 9/10
The Guardian is a highly reliable source and with a transfer fee and personal terms agreed we are only waiting for the official announcement. Expect news directly from Barcelona within the next few hours.
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What's Next?
Vidal will add resolve and stability to Barcelona's midfield as they look to make a run in the Champions League this season. His box-to-box style could free up more creative players such as Coutinho and Messi, allowing them to stay further up the pitch and pressurize the opposition's defense throughout the upcoming season.
