Inter’s bid to sign Arturo Vidal was strengthened today after the Nerazzurri received confirmation that Barcelona want to sell the midfielder.
Le Parisien reported the Catalan giants had offered Vidal to Paris Saint-Germain as part of a cash-plus-player offer for Neymar, whose future remains unclear with two weeks of the transfer window left.
PSG rejected Barca’s proposal, which involved Vidal and Philippe Coutinho plus a cash fee below €60 million, as they did not think it reflected Neymar’s market value.
But Barca’s willingness to offload Vidal is a positive sign for Inter, who are thought to be preparing a last-minute lunge for the Chilean international.
Antonio Conte spent three years working with Vidal at Juventus and has reportedly asked the Nerazzurri’s hierarchy to seek a deal for his former protégé.
Inter do not have huge financial resources to sign another midfielder but they could bring someone in on loan if Joao Mario leaves before 2 September.
Vidal scored three goals and created seven assists last season as Barca won another La Liga title and reached the Champions League semi-finals.
The 31-year-old came close to joining Inter from Bayern Munich last summer, before Luciano Spalletti opted to sign Keita Balde as his last non-EU player instead.
