Player Focus: Potential Change in System may Convince Vidal to Leave Juventus
"There is no budget, there is money. We are in a very strong financial position. We can make big signings." Music to the ears of Manchester United fans as vice-chairman Ed Woodward confirmed the club can make big-money acquisitions in this very transfer window. In a bid to return to the summit of England’s top tier, Woodward has effectively given the green light to a spending spree that has supporters rubbing their hands with glee.
Ander Herrara and Luke Shaw have arrived for a combined £59m already this summer and the carousel through the Old Trafford entrance door shows no sign of slowing down. Ángel Di María, Mats Hummels and Daley Blind, amongst others, have all been linked with a move to United, while reports suggesting midfield pitbull Arturo Vidal is set to join Louis van Gaal’s side refuse to die down.
"I’m still on holiday at the moment. Can I say I’m staying at Juve? I don’t know. On Monday I’ll talk to (Juventus manager, Massimiliano) Allegri then we’ll see," the Chilean said when pressed on reports linking him with a move to the 2012/13 Premier League champions this week. While he neither confirmed nor denied that he will stay at Juventus, his comments have fuelled speculation regarding a potential switch to England.
The Chilean has been a vital component in the Old Lady’s engine room since joining from Bayer Leverkusen in 2011, with his WhoScored rating during that time (7.56) bettered by only 5 players of those to have featured at least 30 times in Serie A. His performances have seen him dubbed one of the best midfielders in the world so interest from United who, despite the signing of Herrera still need to invest in the middle of the park, comes as no surprise.
Factor in the resignation of Antonio Conte, who took over the reins in Turin the summer Vidal signed, and his future hangs in the balance, despite reports in Italy to the contrary. It goes without saying that the Bianconeri would be loath to losing one of their best players. The 27-year-old Chile international has been key for the Serie A champions, forging a highly effective midfield partnership with Paul Pogba, Andrea Pirlo and Claudio Marchisio.
The 3-5-2 deployed during Conte’s time at the helm saw Pirlo sit as the deepest of the three in the middle of the park, allowing Pogba, Vidal and Marchisio to utilise their explosive energy levels to make gut-busting runs into the final third. Pirlo, operating in front of the defence, is able to pick out passes that can hurt the opposition, while the tenacity of two of Pogba, Vidal and Marchisio means the Italian veteran has the necessary time on the ball to make the most of his vision and creativity.
However, under Allegri the system that won Juventus each of the last three Scudetto’s may change. Italian football expert James Horncastle noted earlier this week that the former Milan boss might opt for a 4-3-1-2, with Vidal playing in the role behind the strikers, which could well have its positives. Vidal’s style of play means he can press the opposition in the final third, forcing players into errors that could be capitalised on by Carlos Tévez, Fernando Llorente and, when he returns from injury, Álvaro Morata.
There is also the possibility that Pogba could play the number 10 role, where the Frenchman’s shooting ability can be utilised to full effect. Since joining Juventus in 2012, 7 of Pogba’s 12 league goals have been scored from outside of the box, so harnessing this strength would be in Allegri’s best interest. Moreover, this would allow the Italian to field Marchisio, Pirlo and Vidal in the midfield three behind Pogba. Marchisio and Vidal would be tasked with hassling the opposition to win the ball back and limit their goalscoring opportunities, in the process improving Juventus’ chances of netting.
However, while on paper the proposed 4-3-1-2 may work, the gameplan in place during Conte's reign saw Juventus lose only 7 times in the 114 Serie A games of which he took charge. Undermining three years of good work under the former midfielder may have an adverse effect on the team, with the formation change also breaking up the solid centre-back trio of Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci and Andrea Barzagli.
It’s herein where a switch to Manchester United may appeal to Vidal. Early indications suggest Van Gaal is prepared to persist with the 3-man defence that worked so well for Netherlands at the 2014 World Cup and the chance to operate in a similar system to Juventus, under a manager held in higher regard than Allegri, could convince Vidal to test himself in England’s top tier.
It’s arguable that a plan incorporating a 3-man defence brings out the best in Vidal, with the 27-year-old making 60 more tackles (459) than any other player in Serie A in the last 3 seasons. Should Allegri look to change the way Juventus play, Vidal’s influence may drop, much like it did for Chile during Brazil 2014. ‘The Warrior’ was played further forward by Jorge Sampaoli in order to support Alexis Sánchez and Eduardo Vargas, but his impact was limited, reflected in the significant drop in his WhoScored rating in Brazil (6.76) compared Serie A last season (7.43), though it's worth nothing Vidal carried a knee injury into the World Cup.
Van Gaal may use a 3-4-1-2, like Sampaoli, but would be expected to partner Vidal with Herrera together in front of the defence, with Juan Mata, Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck all capable of playing the number 10 role. However, the Chile international would still provide another goalscoring threat for United from deep, having scored more Serie A goals (28) than any other midfielder in his time in Italy.
Understandably, Juventus are keen to ward off any interest in Vidal. The midfielder is crucial to the Serie A champions and any potential move away from the Juventus Stadium would significantly hinder their plans to re-establish themselves as one of Europe’s heavyweights.
United signing him, though, would be a real statement of intent as they look to wrestle the Premier League trophy back from rivals Manchester City. Vidal’s quotes on Thursday suggest he wants to discuss his future with the Juventus hierarchy before making a decision about whether he should stay or go this summer. However, the reports that he is not going to United are a little premature, judging from what the midfielder said, and Juventus must be wary that any rumours linking him with the exit door will persist until Vidal either commits to the club or asks to leave.
Do you think Arturo Vidal will leave Juventus this summer or will they be able to keep the midfielder? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below
