Soccer

Arturo Vidal seals €37m move to Bayern Munich

Former Arsenal midfielder Abou Diaby has agreed deal to join Olympique de Marseille

Bayern Munich Arturo Vidal poses for the media following his transfer from Juventus. Photograph: Peter Kneffel/dpa via AP
Bayern Munich Arturo Vidal poses for the media following his transfer from Juventus. Photograph: Peter Kneffel/dpa via AP
Tue Jul 28 2015 - 21:03

Chile midfielder Arturo Vidal has completed his move to Bayern Munich from Juventus.

The German champions have confirmed that Vidal has signed a four-year contract and the 28-year-old moves for a fee reported to be €37 million.

Vidal, who scored 35 goals in 124 Serie A appearances for Juventus, has just returned from winning the Copa Ámerica with Chile.

Vidal won the double with Juventus and reached the Champions League final last season and had been linked with possible moves to Manchester United and Arsenal.

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New step

“I’m very happy. This is a new step in my career and I want to help the team and win trophies. It’s a dream come true for me personally,” Vidal told Bayern’s official website.

Vidal has previously played in the Bundesliga, having been a key figure in Bayer Leverkusen’s successes between 2007 and 2011 when they won the German Cup and finished runners-up in the league.

Meanwhile, former Arsenal midfielder Abou Diaby has agreed a deal to return to France with Olympique de Marseille.

Diaby, who has 16 caps for France, was released by Arsenal at the end of last season after nine years at the London club in which his progress was severely hampered by injuries.

Diaby made more than 180 appearances for Arsenal, scoring 19 goals, but played only two games in the last two seasons.

Medical

The 29-year-old had been expected to join West Bromwich Albion after manager Tony Pulis confirmed on Saturday that they had offered him a deal and the player had undergone a medical at the Premier League club.

Chelsea have sold defender Filipe Luís back to Atlético Madrid, the club have announced on their website.

The 29-year-old Brazilian, a £16 million (€22 million) signing from Atlético last summer, returns to the Spanish capital after making only 26 appearances for the west London club.

José Ángel Crespo has become Aston Villa’s seventh close-season signing after sealing a move from relegated La Liga side Cordoba.

The 28-year-old defender has signed a three-year deal to join Villa, who finished one place above the relegation zone last season following manager Tim Sherwood’s appointment in February.

Villa’s other new faces include Scott Sinclair and Micah Richards from Manchester City, Idrissa Gueye from Lille and Jordan Ayew from Lorient.

Crespo, who has been capped by Spain at under-21 level, previously played for Sevilla and Racing Santander in Spain and Padova, Bologna and Verona in Italy.