Arsenal Transfer News: Reported Arturo Vidal Deal Played Down in Latest Rumours
Sections of the English press believe Arturo Vidal will not be joining Arsenal this summer despite claims from abroad that the Gunners have reached a deal to sign the prized Juventus midfielder.
The Sunย says the Chilean powerhouse does not feature in Arsene Wenger's transfer plans, even though reports from the player's homeland claim a ยฃ21 million fee has been agreed.ย
La Stampaย (h/tย Telegraph) believes Vidal will be heading to the Emirates Stadium in the coming weeks, with Sami Khedira on his way to play for the Old Lady as his replacement.
Squawka'sย Ibrahim Akkasย cites Spanish outletย COPE'sย claim a deal for the player to move to north London is "90 per cent done," with Wenger authorising the move last week.ย
Former Gunners midfielder Freddie Ljungbergย welcomed the potential capture of Vidal in an interview with Sport360, believing the Chilean superstar would help drive Arsenal to title glory:
"There [are] some rumours about Vidal, a great player, and he gets fuming if he loses the ball, so I like that.ย That kind of player would be great for the club.ย I hope they can challenge for the Premier League title.
I think in one or two years weโll have a squad thatโs going to compete with anyone. With one or two signings here and there, we can get a stronger squad. Weโre getting there and Iโm really looking forward to the next couple of years.
"
Journalist and Arsenal fan Piers Morgan has also publicly backed the potential capture of the midfielder, willing Wenger to chase the highly regarded player:
Vidal comes with a big reputation after helping Juve land the Scudetto in each of his four seasons at the clubย and reach the Champions League final last term. He has suffered with knee problems in recent times, struggling through the 2014 World Cupโand this element could push Wenger to think twice.ย
Despite his injury issues, though, Vidal was influential in the Old Lady's strong run last season, scoring eight goals in 40 league and European matches combined, perย WhoScored.com.
It is certain the signing of Vidal would be met with great fanfare from Arsenal supporters, with the midfielder considered to be one of the biggest names in the game. However, despite his experience, it is questionable why Juve would let him leave for a relatively cheap price.
The player's recent injury problems andย the emergence of Paulย Pogbaย have seen him slip down the pecking order in Turin. At 28 years old, his importance should be on the increaseโnot the opposite.ย
However, if fit, Vidal would add a dynamism the Gunners do not have in the centre of the park, where they have a host of diminutive players.
As Ljungberg states, Vidal would be great for Arsenalโbut he must not be considered if he is physically compromised in any way. The Premier League is far too demanding, and as fellow South American Radamel Falcao found at Manchester United, you need to be sharp to display your world-class ability in England.
