Vidal completes Inter move as Suarez ‘cheats’ to pass Italian language exam

Inter Milan have completed a deal to sign Arturo Vidal from Barcelona for 1 million euros ($1.17 million), the clubs announced on Tuesday.

“Barcelona and Inter Milan have reached an agreement for the transfer of the player Arturo Vidal,” Barca said in a statement.

“The Italian team will pay FC Barcelona 1 million euros in variables.”

After joining in 2018, Vidal played 96 games for the Catalans and scored 11 goals, helping them win La Liga in his first year in Spain.

But the 33-year-old was seen as expendable by the club after their dreadful end to last season, with Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu admitting players would have to leave in this transfer window before new ones come in.

Ivan Rakitic has already rejoined Sevilla while Nelson Semedo is reportedly close to completing a move to Wolves. Luis Suarez is also expected to leave. Vidal was not always seen as a natural fit at Camp Nou, his combative, direct style going against the more possession-based characteristics the club insists is part of its DNA.

Yet Vidal has been one of the team’s most effective and consistent performers and was used regularly as a starter by both Ernesto Valverde and then Quique Setien, with both coaches also quick to turn to him on the bench in times of need.

His departure will be keenly felt by Lionel Messi, with whom he was close. Messi and Suarez shared farewell messages for Vidal on social media.

“I only knew from you from playing against you and you always seemed like phenomenon,” wrote Messi on Instagram.

“But then I was lucky enough to get to know you personally and you surprised me even more. We shared a lot in your two years and you stood out a lot. The dressing room will miss you, Arturo.”

Vidal will be reunited with Antonio Conte at Inter, the coach he played for at Juventus between 2011 and 2015, before joining Bayern Munich and then Barca.

Inter described the Chilean midfielder as a “warrior”.

“From today, Vidal will be on the front line for the Nerazzurri, with the same objectives as ever: fighting, giving it his all, and winning,” the Italian club added.

SUAREZ ‘CHEATS’: Barcelona forward Suarez meanwhile is suspected of cheating to pass his Italian language test with the help of his teachers, the Perugia prosecutor’s department in charge of the investigation said on Tuesday.

The Italian exam was a first step required in order to receive a passport ahead of a possible transfer to Juventus, a move which has seen been abandoned.

“The investigation showed that the subjects discussed during the exam were agreed beforehand with the candidate and that the grade was awarded to him even before the test,” the prosecutor’s department said in a statement.

Local prosecutor Raffaele Cantone, a former head of Italy’s National Anti-Corruption Authority, had been carrying out an investigation since February into University for Foreigners officials over various irregularities. Suspicions over Suarez were aroused by an overheard conversation.

“But what do you think, that we’re going to fail him? Today I have the last lesson (with Suarez) and I have to prepare it because he barely speaks a word” of Italian, Stefania Spina, one of the people targeted by the investigation, is claimed to have said according to prosecution documents cited by Italian media.

Asked by a colleague what level Suarez “should pass” in Italian, Spina reportedly replied: “He should not, he must, he will pass, because with a salary of 10 million (euros) per season, you can’t make him fail” his exam, “even if he doesn’t know how to conjugate verbs and speak in the infinitive.”

Juventus coach Andrea Pirlo said last week a proposed deal for Suarez was unlikely to go ahead because of delays in the Uruguayan’s bid to get an Italian passport. The Italian champions cannot recruit Suarez otherwise because they have already reached their quota for non-EU players.

Agence France-Presse