Its official, FC BARCELONA has signed Chilean International & Bayern Munich midfielder ARTURO VIDAL for 20M€ & with a 3 year contract. The player joins the other new incorporations this off-season like Brazilians Arthur & Malcom wth French defender Lenglet.
The signing adapts two aspects, the first, the desire by Coach Valverde to have a solid substitute for the departed Paulinho who was sold of to Chinese Football. Secondly, the relative "low" transfer price made it all too attractive for Barcelona, although once again, the Spanish Club interfered in the last moments in an advanced operation (remember Malcom with AC Roma) with another Club (this case Inter Milan) to "take" the player.
The Chilean passed the medical exam which was focused mainly on his knee, as the midfielder has been sidelined months with ligament problems. This was the only existing hurdle which was passed with a green light by the Barça doctors.
The incorporation of Vidal distances somewhat FC Barcelona from their traditional form of Football. This is not to surprise anyone as basic & fundamental players like Xavi, Iniesta, Puyol etc which are exceptional & have left the Club. Vidal is a more physical & aggressive player that employs a more direct Football than "touch".
The 31 year old midfielder has his last opportunity to stay relevant at the top level with a high profile Club. Everyone wishes that Vidal is able to exploit this chance & not allow his "erratic behaviour" off the field to spoil it all.
The big European Football - Soccer Clubs are already planning for the next season. Spanish Football Clubs are no different as FC Barcelona, Atletico de Madrid & Real Madrid CF exhibit with the daily generation of rumours & speculations that appear in the Sports press.
In the case of Real Madrid, new information is appearing after last weeks "summit" of Club President, Directives & Coach Ancelotti. The name of Liverpool FC forward Luis Suarez is a constant & looks like a priority for the Club. It has been for months & one can think a solid possibility.
The other names gaining ground, although not new at all are, Juventus players Arturo Vidal & youngster Paul Pogba. In this (both) case the young Real Madrid forward Alvaro Morata could enter in a hypothetical negotiation as speculation grows that Morata will be heading Juventus way.
The Real Madrid Directives - including President - sees Paul Pogba as a very interesting incorporation. However, "players reports" suggest a "rebellious streak" that manifests itself when he is not a regular starter. The report adds that the player manifests his disapproval with Coaching decisions turning down his intensity & commitment on-field. This apparent "attitude" is a negative point for Coach Ancelotti.
The other player, Arturo Vidal, is seen as a "Modric" with awesome physical power that has the maturity to play at Real Madrid. A "box to box" player with great skills, power & goal, this Coach Ancelotti likes more than team-mate Pogba.
Pogba has an estimated cost of around 60M€ while Vidal is estimated to be cheaper around the 50M€. Either way, the story & the speculated interest by Real Madrid is just this, rumour. I would expected that Juventus will not be too keen on losing both players to a European rival, thus the most reasonable assumption is that if a player was to come over to Spain it would be only one. Which one?
Stay tuned!
French 20 year old International & Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba is sounding again in Spain & within the Spanish Sports Press. His name is being connected with Spanish Football Club Real Madrid as one of the signing targets for next season.
This is happening because the number one objetive, German & Borussia Dormund player Gundogan is not recovering from his back injury, thus Real Madrid have turned their attention towards Pogba the tagged "new Viera" of World Football.
The news locally suggest that initial contact have already began between Clubs, Juventus has said they have had "working meetings" with Real Madrid. Both Clubs have summoned themselves again to meet in Abril to continue with talks. Real Madrid are "tacitly" allowing Juventus to talk to some of their players about offers, players like Coentrao & perhaps some other youngster.
The main threat to the Real Madrid plans regarding Pogba is Paris St Germain which are also interested & look like being serious competition. Real Madrid have two cards up their sleeves that they may show to help them, one is Zidane which knows the player & the other is the best friend of Pogba current Real Madrid defender Rafael Varane.
The idea for next season according to current Real Madrid Coach Carlo Ancelotti is to make two very simple but strategic reinforcements to the current team. One is a back-up to Xabi Alonso who will need to be "paced" as the years keep racing by the player.
Real Madrid is said to also be thinking about the team-mate of Pogba at Juventus Arturo Vidal. This connection is not new & goes back last season when the Chilean International was said to be on the Real Madrid agenda.
In anycase, Pogba or Vidal, or both, they will not be cheap for Real Madrid which will have to open up the cheque book. Perhaps some Real Madrid players ( Coentrao, Morata etc ) maybe included in possible operations to lower the transfer prices.
Stay tuned!
Chilean International & Juventus FC midfielder Arturo Vidal has won himself the praise & tag by most World Soccer observers as currently the "hottest midfielder" in World Football. Yesterday Spanish Sports paper "Marca" linked the player to a possible Real Madrid interest. The connection comes indirectly from another story that links German International & Borussia Dortmund midfielder Gundogan with Real Madrid.
Gundogan is said to have a "pre-agreement" with Real Madrid, a preferential option if the Spanish Football Club wishes to sign him for next season. The problem is that Gundogan has been sidelined with a back injury since last August & his situation looks like its not advancing. Juventus player Arturo Vidal has jumped into the spotlight because the Chilean could be the "alternative" to Gundogan. Natural assumption that works better to sell papers than to depict the actual reality.
Vidal was on the Real Madrid agenda last season at a price of around 25-35M€. But this has jumped notably in recent months & may even sky rocket if he puts in a good World Cup performance with Chile. Juventus also has a say in all this & I would doubt at this stage that they would wish to sell their star player & vital piece of the squad. Lastly, this all smells "contract renewal" time, as the players representative could be using the Real Madrid to lever pressure onto Juventus so as to better the players contract.
Said this, Vidal is obviously a desired player, which Club in the World would not wish to have him in their squad. But the Real Madrid midfield is currently well served with Xabi, Modric, Illaramendi, Isco, Di Maria, Casemiro etc. The real interest from Real Madrid, if there are needs, is Gundogan.
However, will keep an eye on things. In Football common sense does not exist, & what is white today is black tomorrow. Everything is possible.
If in the below post I gave you the very latest on the Real Madrid signing rumours for next season, now I add another name that is doing the rounds. As I said Football is in constant flux & in permanent conflict with diverse interests between Clubs, agents, coaches, intermediaries & players all positioning themselves in the lucrative transfer market.
This time the news comes out of Italy & concretely "La Gazzetta dello Sport" which claims that Real Madrid is following closely 25 year old Chilean & Juventus defensive midfielder Arturo Vidal.
The Chilean International is said to be valued around 30M€ & Juventus has already let known that the player will not be transferred unless there is a irresistible offer.
I would take this news piece for what it is, a rumour from the many that are doing the rounds. As I always say there are lots of interested parties distorting their situation & "inventing" interests to strengthen their local positions. There maybe true in all this as well, but lets all be cautious & wait to see how things turn out.
Stay tuned!
