Arturo Vidal has been linked with a move to Newcastle United (Getty Images)
According to Marca (h/t The Sun), Barcelona are willing to offload Arturo Vidal this summer in order to help raise funds for Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez.
The Argentine striker is currently on top of Barcelona’s transfer wish-list after his impressive displays for Inter Milan recently. However, he has a release clause of around £96million, and the Catalans are in desperate need of some cash to land their priority transfer target.
With the financial impact of the coronavirus crisis affecting even a top club like Barcelona, the report suggests that Vidal looks like the man most likely to be shipped out this summer.
Moreover, Vidal will turn 33 this month and is not a viable long-term option for the Catalans. They already have an ageing midfield that includes veteran stars Ivan Rakitic and Sergio Busquets.
Meanwhile, Vidal, who moved to Barcelona from Bayern Munich in 2018 for an initial £15million, has made just eight La Liga starts this season, giving an indication that he is clearly not in their plans for the future.
However, he has still managed 22 appearances in the league, most of which have come from the bench. He has chipped in with six league goals for his side.
Busquets and Frenkie de Jong remain the side’s first-choice midfielders. Vidal has mostly been fighting for the final spot in the middle with Ivan Rakitic and Arthur this term.
Also, with talented academy graduate Riqui Puig waiting in line to establish himself in the first-team setup, Vidal’s chances seem increasingly limited in the coming days. Vidal’s figures also depict that age has finally taken a toll on the experienced Chilean international, whose performances have taken a dip in the last few years.
For someone, who managed six goals in the 2017-18 season and nine in the season before, Vidal’s numbers indicate that his displays have gone down with time. Vidal, who arrived at Barcelona last year, could manage just three goals despite making 53 appearances for them last season.
That said, it would be wise of Barcelona to offload their veteran midfielder if they wish to make money for a costly buy like Martinez. Hence, Barcelona’s decision to sell him seems like a move taken in the best interests of the club.
Barcelona already have as many as six midfielders with them and selling Vidal would not make much of a difference. Moreover, they need a younger presence in their middle, with the side already having veteran midfielders Busquets and Rakitic in the side. Thus, the decision to sell Vidal looks like a step in the right direction by the Catalans.
