- 8 hours ago
Why Inter should have never signed Arturo Vidal from Barcelona
Emmet Gates
- Updated: 17 May 2021 16:55 BST
- 5 min read
Despite speculation linking the Chile international elsewhere next season, Arturo Vidal wants to stay at Inter next season, according to the player’s agent.
Fernando Felicevich was speaking to Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport about his client’s future, and stated that Vidal wants to stay at San Siro:
“It is normal that there are offers for someone of his level, but he is staying at Inter,” Felicevich told the pink paper. “[Vidal] wants the Scudetto now, then the Champions League next season.”
Vidal has been a constant for Inter this season, and was requested last summer by boss Antonio Conte as a reinforcement in midfield.
Should Inter have bought Vidal?
In short, the answer is a resounding no. Vidal has long since been at his peak as an all-action, dynamic midfielder.
The Chilean’s performances have steadily declined since leaving Juventus for Bayern Munich in the summer of 2015, when he had just played an integral part in the club winning a domestic double and reaching the final of the Champions League.
Vidal’s reckless lifestyle away from the pitch had long-irked the Juve hierarchy, including Conte, during his four-year stint in Turin.
Furthermore, a player of Vidal’s characteristics can only last so long at the highest levels if not taking the necessary care of their body, and Vidal didn’t.
Eventually, Juve lost patience with Vidal, and when Bayern Munich came calling, the club were only too happy to offload him.
Fast forward half a decade later, and with more miles on the clock at Bayern and then Barcelona, Antonio Conte demanded Inter sign Vidal to add some steel into their lightweight midfield.
After Vidal failed to score or make an assist in the opening months of the season, Conte reportedly wondered where the ‘real’ Vidal was, all the while not realising that this is what present Vidal offered: precious little.
He’s played 30 times in all competitions this season for the Nerazzurri, scoring twice, but has been on the sidelines as of late, due to having knee surgery.
In his place, Christian Eriksen has finally adapted to Conte’s demands, and it’s likely that Vidal will struggle to break into the starting XI.
Given Inter’s delicate situation, Inter should be looking to offload the Chilean this summer, but given Conte’s affinity for Vidal, this may not happen.
They shouldn’t have signed him in the first place.
Read more about: Artur, Arturo Vidal
