Reports: Manchester United interested in €44m Bayern Munich star
What's the story?
Bayern Munich midfielder Arturo Vidal has caught the eye of Manchester United, who are hoping to bring the Chilean enforcer to Old Trafford, according to the Daily Star. The Red Devils have been chasing midfield targets from Premier League rivals Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, but are losing hope of getting the deals of Nemanja Matic and Eric Dier over the line. Jose Mourinho has now reportedly instructed Ed Woodward to prioritise the signing of Vidal, United willing to bid in the region of €44 million for the 30-year-old
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Previously
Manchester United's interest in Vidal has been a long-standing one, with the former Juventus midfielder rejecting the chance to join Louis van Gaal's Manchester United before moving to Bayern Munich. The Chilean confirmed as much in 2016, saying "Yes, there was a chance to come to England. It was last summer, and at one point, we thought that is what would happen," he said.
"I liked the opportunity that they had offered me, but eventually it did not happen and I chose to come to Bayern. I wanted to come to a team this strong and to a project that is so ambitious."
The heart of the matter
Manchester United's struggles in the transfer market this summer have been acknowledged by manager Jose Mourinho already. The Red Devils' negotiations with Chelsea over a £50 million move for Nemanja Matic has hit the roadblocks after United gazumped the Blues move for Romelu Lukaku. Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur are extremely reluctant to part with Eric Dier, with Daniel Levy and Ed Woodward far apart in their respective valuations of the player.
Thus, United have turned their eyes to Bayern Munich's Arturo Vidal, with the Chilean unsettled by the arrival of Corentin Tolisso, the most expensive signing made by Bayern Munich of all time. The 30-year-old is considered a more gettable target by Jose Mourinho, although United do face competition from Inter Milan for the midfielder's signature.
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Author's Take
If Manchester United get this transfer over the line, they are getting more than just an all-action midfielder who is one of the best in the world. Paul Pogba has faced a ton of pressure in adapting to the perfect balance required of him in midfield - the fact that Vidal and Pogba are already familiar with each other's style of play from their time in Juventus surely ought to make the Chilean United's no.1 target now.