Manchester United are reportedly plotting a winter window swoop for Barcelona midfielder Arturo Vidal, who is unhappy with his situation in Spain.
As per the report from Italian outlet FCInterNews, Premier League giants Manchester United are planning a January raid on La Liga champions Barcelona for the signing of midfielder Arturo Vidal.
Vidal, 32, signed for Barcelona from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2018, in a deal worth €18 million. The midfielder chipped in with 3 goals and 7 assists in 53 matches in all competitions (29 starts) in his debut campaign with the Blaugrana, on the way to winning the La Liga title.
However, the former Juventus star has found regular game time hard to come by in the ongoing season, following the summer arrival of Frenkie de Jong. Vidal has made 14 appearances this term, only four of which have been from the start and he is understood to have grown frustrated with the lack of playing minutes being afforded.
And, according to the aforementioned report, Vidal is considering his future at Barcelona, with the 32-year-old believed to be open to a transfer in January, should his situation fail to improve in the coming month. His potential availability seems to have put Manchester United on a high-alert.
While a new striker is understood to be Manchester United’s top priority heading into the January transfer window, the midfield department could also use with some strengthening as the 20-time English champions have been thinly stretched in the area in recent weeks.
Manchester United decided not to replace Marouane Fellaini and Ander Herrera in the summer. And Paul Pogba and Scott McTominay’s injuries have left Solskjaer short of options in the middle and things have only been made worse by the sluggish displays from the likes of Andreas Pereira and Fred.
Moreover, Nemanja Matic has been heavily linked with an exit from Old Trafford in January after having dropped down in the pecking order this season. So, it makes sense that Manchester United would look to bolster their options in the midfield department.
And, Vidal, despite his age, has the potential to be a decent stop-gap solution for Manchester United. The Chilean international is vastly experienced and will bring in a winning mentality to the team, while his leadership skills would also be a major plus for a United side that has lacked an authoritative presence on the field.
Manchester United chief executive Ed Woodward is believed to have already initiated talks with Vidal’s agent Fernando Felicevich. The pair have a good relationship, having worked closely on Alexis Sanchez’s loan move to Inter Milan this past summer.
The fact that Vidal is Barcelona’s third-highest goal-getter this season behind Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez despite his limited game time shows that he still has plenty left to offer. But, it remains to be seen if Manchester United convert their reported interest in the 32-year-old into a formal approach come next month.
