Bayern Munich officially announced the signing of Arturo Vidal on Tuesday, as reported by BBC Sport, leaving both Arsenal and Manchester United to consider what might have been.
During a four-year spell in Turin, the Chilean international established himself as one of the leading midfielders in Europe.
Four consecutive Serie A titles and a runners-up finish in the Champions League last season ensured that his stint in Italy was a successful one, and that pattern of winning promises to continue in Bavaria.
Vidal was a dominant presence for Juve, playing a crucial role alongside Andrea Pirlo and Paul Pogba over the past two years.
While the ‘Old Lady’ will now have to adjust to life without several of the players that were key to their success, Vidal will fit in seamlessly at Bayern and replace Bastian Schweinsteiger.
Pep Guardiola will undoubtedly benefit from Vidal’s presence both on and off the pitch.
The midfielder’s inevitable success in the Bundesliga, which is generally considered to be a more physical league than Serie A, will add evidence to the theory that both Arsenal and United made a significant mistake in not making him a priority signing this summer.
Both clubs were rumoured to be preparing an offer, according to the Express, but it failed to materialise into a genuine move to sign him.
While Louis Van Gaal can now argue that his preferred midfield is in place after signing Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderlin, Arsene Wenger has no such Plan B at this time.
The Gunners need a defensive presence in their midfield, with Vidal arguably the ideal individual to fill that void while adding further dynamism to the team with his ability to dominate possession and break forward.
The former Bayer Leverkusen star also knows how to score goals, making him the modern-day midfield dream for any manager with his box-to-box mentality.
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At 28 years of age, he should be reaching the peak years of his career, and Bayern will benefit as they look to dominate both domestically and abroad again next season.
The Chilean’s all-round game made him ideal for the Premier League, in that he has quality on the ball in abundance and a tireless approach and steely character that would have seen him go toe-to-toe with the most competitive of rivals.
However, Premier League fans in general have now been denied the opportunity to see him at close quarters. While they should be disappointed, Wenger and Van Gaal are the ones who will be at an even bigger loss over time.
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