Bayern Munich midfielder, Arturo Vidal is being linked with a move to Stamford Bridge. It is being reported that Vidal has liked several Instagram post linking him to Chelsea. The media has gone into a frenzy over this. However, neither Antonio Conte and Vidal have ever hide their admiration for each other.
Vidal is perfect ‘Conte-type’ player. He is fast, aggressive, a tough tackler and also very good technically. He is a midfield enforcer just like Conte was in his playing days.
Vidal once said: ”If I go to war I would take Conte with me”. Conte said the same after a few days.
Chelsea had been heavily linked to Radja Nainggolan of Roma. However, Chelsea would go on to sign N’Golo Kante. The Frenchman has been great for Chelsea and his partnership with Nemanja Matic has been one of the key factors responsible for Chelsea’s wonderful 13-game winning run.
Cesc Fabregas and Nathaniel Chalobah have also chipped in from the bench when required.
So on the surface, you have to ask, do Chelsea really need Vidal?
A signing like Vidal could be the necessary boost for the squad especially in the second half of the season when injuries creep in.
Fabregas, in particular, does not have a good record after January and Chelsea’s fans are quite aware how suddenly and drastically Matic’s form can drop.
Vidal can provide a unique edge to Chelsea attack without compromising the defence. He also provides the necessary depth in that position now that Oscar has left the club and John Obi Mikel also expected to leave.
His versatility can also be a big advantage to this Chelsea squad. Vidal is capable of playing centre-back. He was used as a makeshift centre back for Juventus by Conte when injuries limited his options.
Conte was so impressed with Vidal’s performance that he said: “He made me angry at the end with a slightly complacent move, but overall he did brilliantly. It might even be his best role. That’ll solve my problem of having so many great midfielders, I’ll just play Vidal at the back!”
Pep Guardiola also frequently played Vidal as a centre-back in Bayern Munich. So Conte could use him as a centre-back in the latter stages of his career. At the age of 29, Vidal could provide Chelsea solutions for two positions.
It has been reported that Chelsea have bid £34 million for Vidal, but Bayern Munich seem to be interested in offers only above £40 million. The amount seems a lot at first but when we take into consideration the present realities of the transfer market, it does not seem a lot.
The Chinese Super League would be willing to pay twice or three times this sum for a player of Vidal’s quality. Today we live in a world where players like Moussa Sissoko are bought for £30 million.
Another worry many Chelsea fans have is that a signing like Vidal could hamper the development of players like Nathaniel Chalobah, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Lewis Baker. However, these players could learn a lot from Vidal on how to become the ideal midfielder that Conte desires. His drive and passion for winning could enhance their abilities.
A signing like Vidal could re-motivate the squad and keep at bay any complacencies that might set in due to their comfortable position in the table.
