Rummenigge confirms Vidal signing is close
July 23, 2015
Bayern Munich is on the verge of signing Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal, Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said Thursday.
"I can confirm in principle that we have reached a deal with both parties, Juventus and the player," Rummenigge told a press conference in Guangzhou, as Bayern conclude their tour of China. "Only the medical and the signature on the contract are missing," added the Bayern chairman. Rummenigge also confirmed that there was no offer made for Mario Götze and that the World Cup winner wanted to stay in Munich.
Vidal's contract is reported to run until 2020, with the fee somewhere around the 36 million-euro-mark ($39.5 million). If the move is completed as expected, the midfielder could join Bayern's training next week.
Vidal in, Draxler out?
Even before Bayern's trip to China, Rummenigge confirmed the club was interested in Vidal's services. A few days later, Juventus' Sporting Director Beppe Marotta released a statement saying the 28-year-old would be leaving the club.
Vidal has 69 caps for Chile and was part of the squad that won the Copa America this summer. He previously played in the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen before moving to Juventus in 2011, where he won four consecutive Serie A titles.
This news would also increase the likelihood of Schalke's attacking midfielder Julian Draxler joining Juventus, with Schalke's sporting director Horst Heldt later confirming that the attacking midfielder was flattered by the interest but no concrete offer had yet been made.
jh/glb (dpa, SID)