Barcelona midfielder Arturo Vidal has hinted he could be tempted to leave the Camp Nou in the summer and move to Serie A side Inter.
The Chile international told Marcos López and Albert Guasch at El Periodico that he is happy at Barcelona but could consider his future if he does not feel important.
“We have to play for two more months. Here I am happy and I have excellent teammates, but I want to feel important. Otherwise, I will have to look for something else to continue my career. I like playing, I don’t say all the games, but the most difficult and important ones to win the titles.”
Inter Milan have been rumored to be interested in signing Vidal in a move that would see the midfielder link up again with manager Antonio Conte. The two have worked together previously at Juventus.
Vidal also spoke about his relationship with Conte, and his comments are likely to fuel speculation he could head to the San Siro at the end of the season.
“We have an excellent relationship, he knows that I am a winner and that he can trust me. That’s what I want here.”
The 33-year-old signed for Barcelona from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2018, and his current deal runs out at the end of next year. A summer sale would make financial sense for Barcelona as they could otherwise lose him for free at the end of next season.
Inter Long-Time Admirers of Vidal
Talk of an Inter move for Vidal is nothing new. The Nerazzurri have long been linked with the Chile international and have made it clear they are big admirers of the Barcelona man.
Inter chief executive officer Beppe Marotta talked about a possible move for Vidal back in January when the winter transfer window was open, according to Mirko Calemme at AS.
“Depends on many factors, I won’t hide that, for us, he is a very important player. At the moment, the manager’s position is influencing things, it’s under threat, and we will have to wait and see.”
Ernesto Valverde was subsequently sacked as Barcelona manager and replaced by Quique Setien, while Vidal opted to stay at the Camp Nou for at least the rest of the season.
What Next for Vidal?
Vidal’s future could be decided by how many games he plays for Barcelona between now and the end of the campaign. The Catalan giants have 11 La Liga games left to play and remain in contention in the Champions League.
The midfielder has featured 30 times for Barca in 2019-20, but only 13 of those appearances have been as a starter. His latest comments suggest he is not too interested in spending a lot of time on the bench.
Vidal may also be swayed by the Champions League. The midfielder has won league titles in Italy, Germany and Spain but has never lifted the European Cup. He’s previously made it clear that winning the Champions League is his top ambition before he hangs up his boots.
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Arturo Vidal Hints at leaving Barcelona for Inter