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Inter Milan manager Antonio Conte has made Chile international midfielder Arturo Vidal his primary transfer target for the upcoming January transfer window, with the Barcelona man ready to move to Italy away from his current club. At the Nou Camp, Vidal has found his first-team role limited to opportunities from the subsitutes beench in recent times and has decided that now is the time to transfer elsewhere.
In a conversation with his agent, Vidal has informed his representative that a transfer to Italy would be his preferred option. There are numerous suitors for Vidal's talents in Serie A, but Inter Milan are ready to pay upwards of 20 million euros to secure a transfer move for the defensive midfielder.
32-year-old Vidal still has an existing contract with his club until 2023 and the Nou Camp side are open to listening to offers but only at the right price.
Vidal began his career with Barca as a first-team regular after joining from Bayern Munich, but management changes in recent seasons has seen guaranteed football hard to come by. Recent signings such as Arthur Melo have further limited Vidal's options.
Antonio Conte, the current Inter Milan boss, is a huge fan of Vidal and is seeking experience in midfield ahead of January.
Vidal has only recently returned from an injury and interestingly one of the player's first games back was a tie against Conte's Inter Milan. Such was the impression that Vidal left, Barca legend Lionel Messi commented on Vidal's performance after that game:
"Arturo gives you so much," said Messi. "He is a player who, when he enters, catches, recovers, arrives, plays. He is a very important player for us and it is good that he had these minutes today, he felt important because he is a very important player for the team."
Barcelona do not have a wealth of players in their squad that can play as a defensive midfielder and Sergio Busquets is also expected to leave in the January transfer window.
It is rumoured that Declan Rice is wanted by Barcelona as a possible replacement for Vidal, but the West Ham player has a hefty price tag in excess of 40 million euros. Barcelona are admirers of the England international, despite the player having only recently signed a new contract with the East London side.
Will Barca sell Arturo Vidal and replace him with Rice? Will West Ham push for Champions League football and keep Rice? Betway Soccer has the best odds available.
Written by Ketan Patel
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