Barcelona want to keep Arturo Vidal but is the club making a mistake by keeping him?
The saga between Barcelona and Arturo Vidal continues with the lawsuit against the Catalan side the latest wrinkle in their story.
The lawsuit pertaining to unpaid bonuses is seen by the club as a tactic in order to facilitate a transfer during the January transfer window.
More from Everything Barca
- FC Barcelona tracking Belgian Wonderkid
- FC Barcelona vs Betis Player Ratings
- Barça boss Xavi to get contract extension
- FC Barcelona planning swoop for Arsenal midfielder
- Barcelona interested in €30 million wonderkid
However, according to Cadena Cope, the Catalans are not contemplating selling the midfielder halfway through the season.
While the lawsuit does not sit well with those inside the club, both Ernesto Valverde and Eric Abidal want Vidal to stay.
The question is whether that is the right move or not.
From the outside looking in, the only reason it benefits Barca for him to stay is that he is a veteran and could find themselves short in midfield with the departure of Carles Aleña.
On the other hand, Vidal wants to be a starter and with that being unlikely, he’s going to continue to make his grievances public.
Keeping a player who does not want to be there only serves to harm a locker room and only puts more pressure on a manager who is already on thin ice with a large majority of the supporters.
Inter Milan’s Javier Zanetti has confirmed that the Italian club are interested in Vidal. Reportedly, an agreement has been reached between them and the player and they are working to try to come to an agreement with Barcelona.
If Vidal does not leave during January, consensus is that he will likely be moved in the summer as the club look to get younger and finally give a chance not only to a returning Aleña but an emerging Riqui Puig as well.
Vidal wants to play more and it is not a guarantee that the manager can make. The Chilean has made his intentions clear that given that, he wants to leave. It’s better to give in now that have a player not fully committed and thus not be able to count on him for the rest of the season.