Arturo Vidal may be nearing the end of his Bayern Munich career

Leon Goretzka will join Bayern Munich in the summer. Undoubtedly a great piece of business, the agreement has raised questions over the future of Arturo Vidal.

Leon Goretzka will arrive on a free basis at the end of the season from FC Schalke and represents the future of Bayern Munich: experienced, versatile, imposing and brimming with potential. Indeed, the imminent arrival will likely put some on edge for fear of being ousted.

Arturo Vidal is just one of those looking over his shoulder. The Chilean is rumored to be on his way out, with Chelsea the common denominator in most reports.

On the day the January transfer window opened, Bild claimed Chelsea had already made contact with Vidal and were willing to double his wages in an effort to bring him to London.

Over a fortnight later, the same outlet reported there was a very distinct chance Vidal could leave following the signing of Goretzka, again citing Chelsea as the club likely to open their doors in the summer.

Vidal stays, at least for now

However, in a press conference at the beginning of the month, Jupp Heynckes stated Bayern would not be selling anyone in the January window, effectively quashing the links for now. Around the same time, Sandro Wagner was signed from TSG Hoffenheim to add to depth.

Of course, all these rumors are to be expected – Bayern are a club aiming to sow the seeds of success for many years to come. In August the club opened a state-of-the-art youth academy on an industrial scale in an effort to reel in the next generations of talent.

At the age of 30, Vidal is naturally expected to have a target on his back, along the same lines of Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery, albeit the winger duo are much further into their development than their teammate.

Like a considerable number of players, Vidal seemed below his best during the tenure of Carlo Ancelotti after flourishing with Pep Guardiola. Such performances took a nosedive in the sub-par start to the season, which eventually led to the Italian coach’s sacking.

But his form has taken a rapid turn for the better. Once mired with inconsistency, Vidal looked a player revitalized soon after Heynckes came out of retirement for his third full-time stint.

Following the win over Bavarian neighbors FC Augsburg, Heynckes revealed in his post-match press conference he had challenged Vidal before the match to up his game or risk being dropped for competitors vying the starting spot.

Admirably, the midfielder did indeed rise to the occasion, scoring the opener before providing the assist for Robert Lewandowski to double the lead. The win over die Fuggerstädter ignited a purple patch for Vidal, among several others. On top of that, he has went on to score a further three goals, including a winner against Eintracht Frankfurt.

More competition already in the ranks

It would be remiss to state Goretzka is the only threat to Vidal’s throne as competition is rife among the ranks. Sebastian Rudy has thoroughly impressed since arriving on a free from Hoffenheim, while Javi Martinez looks back to his ’12-13 best playing in a midfield pivot.

Corentin Tolisso looked a tad lost during Ancelotti’s reign while playing in a defensive manner, but has fully showcased his talent in a box-to-box role. Thiago Alcantara is simply irreplaceable, devout to the cause and has many years left to spare.

Lastly, there is the case of Thomas Müller and James Rodriguez: both players’ careers looked in a state of limbo in the summer, but they have arguably been die Roten’s finest duo this season, though they are of a different breed to the aforementioned midfielders.

This marks the dilemma for Vidal. The former Bayer Leverkusen dynamo is an excellent box-to-box midfielder, but is seemingly on the peripheral of his stay in Bavaria. A reunion with Antonio Conte at Chelsea is now more likely than ever – after all, Vidal rose to prominence under the tutelage of the 48-year-old and may be tempted to immerse himself in the riches of the Premier League.

Statistically, Vidal has featured the second most in the squad – behind only James – and should be a key player for the remainder of the campaign. Playing over half-an-hour in the tricky win over Werder Bremen, the player himself confirmed he would be staying put (via Sky), but left the door open for the following transfer window.

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With his contract expiring in July 2019, Bayern may be tempted to cash-in soon and to a side encountering their own difficulties in the centre of the park. If Vidal is to leave, Bayern will have lost a prized asset, but will gain one in Goretzka who is of better mould for the club.