Arturo Vidal is close to becoming a Barcelona player and his shock €30m signing could be announced on Friday.
According to AS, the Catalans are favourites to snatch the Bayern Munich midfielder from Inter’s grasp, although the newspaper reports that they are also “working on other options”.
“We have to take things step-by-step and until everything is sealed we can’t say anything,” AS quotes a source close to the club as saying
“Negotiations with Inter are very advanced and that is why we are keeping our options open. It appeared he was set to join Inter, but this is football, we are in summer, and anything can happen at any time.
“We will have to wait and see what happens in the next few days.”
Barca boss Ernesto Valverde sees Vidal as a direct replacement for Paulinho, who went to Chinese outfit Guangzhou Evergrande some weeks ago for €50m, despite the constant knee injuries the Chilean has suffered later in his career.
However, although Barca are concerned, the source insists that “we will do a thorough medical examination on the midfielder and, in that sense, we will work as with other players and signings, right down to the last detail”.
The 31-year-old has already had spent much of his career in Europe after four seasons at both Bayer Leverkusen and Juventus following his arrival from Colo Colo, and it is understood that once the matter is finalised the departure of Yerry Mina to Manchester United, Everton or Lyon will be imminent.
