LIONEL MESSI has bid an emotional farewell to team-mate Arturo Vidal who’s on the brink of sealing his move to Inter Milan.
Vidal spent two seasons in Spain at Barca, and helped them win the La Liga during his first season at the club.
Vidal is set to join Inter after two seasons at BarcaCredit: Reuters
Messi became close with Vidal during his two years at the club, and noted how his pal will be missed in the dressing room.
On his Instagram he said: “I only knew you from facing up against each other and you always seemed a phenomenon, but after I was lucky enough to get to know you personally and you surprised me even more.
“They were two years sharing a lot and you made yourself noticed a lot. The dressing room will miss you, Arturo.”
Luis Suarez also chimed in with a message for Vidal and said: “To have you as an opponent was unbearable because of how great you are as a player, but to have you as a team-mate, friend and to know you as a person, you are even greater!”
Vidal, 33, is set to be unveiled as an Inter player imminently as he was pictured in Milan over the weekend, and the club posted updates about him on its Twitter account.
It won’t be Vidal’s first time playing in the Serie A, where he previously had a stint at Juventus.
He will be re-uniting with manager Antonio Conte after the pair won three successive Serie A titles together at Juve.
Vidal’s contract expires in nine months’ time but Koeman looks set to get rid of the Chilean international midfielder now.
His transfer from Barca to Inter has been on the cards for the past few weeks, and the two clubs have finally agreed on a fee of just £900,000 for the player.
Although Milan are getting Vidal on the cheap, he will cost the club around £5.5m a year in wages.
Barcelona stars Messi, Busquets and Vidal show their skill at the loo roll challenge
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
