Sports Burst - Barcelona's Vidal Statistics
Barcelona faces battle to keep Arturo Vidal who head is being turned by possible reunion with Antonio Conte.
By Tim Stannard/beIN SPORTS
Arturo Vidal v Barcelona in winter window transfer battle as non-chilled Chilean ponders Inter move
An unexpected powerplay has developed in LaLiga over the weekend - Barca v Arturo Vidal.
In one corner, one of the richest and glamorous clubs in the world. In the other - a permanently angry, 32-year-old Chilean on the wrong side of his career. There should only be one clear winner. But it may not be the obvious one.
Vidal is making the headlines on Monday with the notion that the midfielder could be leaving the Camp Nou within the week. This may not have been an issue for a team that needs to raise some cash in the transfer market in its ongoing pursuit to both replace Neymar also buy back the Brazilian at the same time.
The problem is that Vidal has been rather important to Barcelona this season having chalked up six league goals including a strike against Espanyol at the weekend. Nevertheless, the footballer is a rare starter to the team - just four in LaLiga.
While all would seem to be a-ok at Barcelona, who are halfway champions of LaLiga at the top of the table, the points tally of 40 is the worst in a decade and Vidal is seen as one of the rare high points of the season.
Vidal is currently in dispute with Barcelona over $2 million for reported unpaid bonuses and the footballer's head is being turned by Inter Milan and Antonio Conte, who were together at Juventus.
Barca are now traveling to take part in the Spanish Super Cup for what could be the final days of Vidal at the Camp Nou club.
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Old man and Old Lady take center stage in Italy
Italy's Serie A certainly has a big, old day ahead of it on Monday, a day which has an old man and an Old Lady making some waves.
The old man is Zlatan Ibrahimovic who is back at Milan on a loan spell and the only thing that the Swede really has to lose are more pieces of his constantly under-attack statue. Milan are in 12th spot, experiencing a tremendously sucky season even by their lowly standards and Zlatan is the Hail Mary move of the winter.
At least the San Siro side are facing a big team in worse shape than themselves in the form of Sampdoria, who are in a relegation scrap under Claudio Ranieri.
Unfortunately, it looks like Milan coach, Stefano Pioli hasn't received the memo on Zlatan and announced cheerily ahead of the game that the 38-year-old isn't "a saviour who has come to rescue us."
In England, the FA Cup has one more match on the roster and it's an intriguing affair with Marcelo Bielsa's Leeds United - currently top of the Championship and seemingly Premier League-bound - traveling to Arsenal.
Real Madrid to add another Brazilian to the squad
TRANSFER CORNER TIME!
It looks like Real Madrid have one more spot in its ranks for youthful Brazilians. This week could see the 17-year-old midfielder, Reinier, Joining Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo in the Real Madrid ranks.
The Flamengo man is currently away with the Brazil U-23 team but it seems that Madrid will win a scrap with a lot of heavy hitters to win the player's signature. But it's a scrap that could cost Madrid $30 million.
Speaking of all things Flamengo, Gabigol is still in danger of leaving the club after guiding the Brazilian team to the 2019 Copa Libertadores title.
The problem though is the striker is owned by Inter Milan, who have little interest in the immediate future of either the player or his current team. To this end the winter rumor mill has the player moving to Chelsea. Which is a step-up from West Ham United, which was last week's transfer rumbling.
Manchester United are going to try and Jedi mind trick on Leicester City by persuading the Foxes to part with the midfielder, James Maddison, in return for cash and a defective Jesse Lingard who officially did not contribute a Premier League goal or assist in 2019.