According to ibtimes online sources, Bayern Munich midfielder Arturo Vidal appears to have ended speculation linking him with a move to Chelsea and a reunion with Antonio Conte. The Italian was named the next Chelsea manager on Monday 4 April and will officially assume duties at Stamford Bridge following Italy's Euro 2016 campaign.
After Chelsea's dismal 2015-16 campaign, the former Juventus manager is expected to be given the green light to make key additions to the Blues' squad during the summer transfer window. Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci and Roma midfielder Miralem Pjanic have been heavily-linked with moves to west London, but Vidal is also speculated to be one of Conte's priority targets.
The Chile international was integral to Juventus' success under Conte and the Daily Mail claim the player has privately indicated to Bayern he would like to link up with his former manager once again. But speaking after Bayern's Champions League quarter-final first leg win over Benfica on Tuesday 5 April, Vidal insisted he was not looking to leave the German giants.
When asked about a possible move to Chelsea, Vidal told Chilean radio station BioBio: "I am very happy here. I have to think about my family and I still have time on my contract." Vidal left Juventus last summer after four successful years at the club. Under Conte, the powerful midfielder won three Serie A titles and was part of the team that finished runners up in the 2014-15 Champions League.
Paul Pogba is another player to have been heavily linked with a reunion with Conte at Stamford Bridge. According to former Juventus director Alessio Secco, Conte's healthy relationship with his former players, combined with Chelsea's deep pockets, should boost the club's chances of signing players like the France international this summer.
"Obviously he [Conte] knows the players very well," Secco told TalkSport. "Some players did very, very well during the last few years. Chelsea will have a job to do to sign new players and when you have a good knowledge of them it is normal that you go back, not just to Juventus but to other Italian clubs to try what you think is better for your club.
"Some players, like Pogba, have an incredible value in terms of money and very, very few clubs can afford him. Chelsea are definitely one of them. We are talking about one of the best midfielders so I wouldn't be surprised if [Conte] went for him."
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