Barcelona wing-back Aleix Vidal 'very close' to completing Sevilla return in £7m deal

Barcelona wing-back Aleix Vidal is said to be "very close" to completing his proposed return to Sevilla.

Spanish publication Sport says that the two clubs have advanced negotiations in the last few hours ahead of completing a loan deal which will include a mandatory option for Sevilla to buy him in the summer for around €8m (£7m, $9.8m).

The 28-year-old versatile full-back made the opposite move from Sevilla to Barcelona in the summer of 2015 after garnering a big reputation at the Sanchez Pizjuan.

However, the Spaniard has since failed to establish himself as a regular player for Luis Enrique and Ernesto Valverde and it has been said that the La Liga giants are ready to let him go this month.

Barcelona have already sent Arda Turan on loan to Istanbul Basaksehir but they still need to get rid of some more players before the end of the January transfer window to balance the books following the arrival of Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool and Yerry Mina from Palmeiras.

Sevilla emerged as Vidal's main suitor in the very first days of the transfer window after the Spaniard made a great impact at the Sanchez Pizjuan, helping them to win the Europa League during the 2014-15 campaign.

However, it was said that Barcelona turned down the first approach of the Andalucian side as they want Vidal on loan while the Catalans are instead likely to part ways with him on permanent basis.

In recent days Vidal has seen his name linked with other clubs like Napoli, Liverpool, Everton, Manchester United and even Manchester City.

Earlier in the week Sevilla-based publication Estadio Deportivo reported that his agents had been in England holding talks with unidentified clubs from Liverpool and Manchester.

But Sport are now claiming that Sevilla have retaken the lead in the race to sign the Spaniard after having increased their offer.

The Spanish publication claims that the Andalucian side are now ready to take Vidal on loan until the end of the season and have agreed to the inclusion of an option that obliges them to sign him for €8m in the summer.

The only stumbling block to finalise the deal is that Sevilla want that option to be activated only if they qualify for the Champions League while Barcelona demand guarantees that they will certain to sign Vidal in the summer.

The Catalans were initially demanding in excess of €8m but Sport suggests that they would accept Sevilla's valuation on the basis they agree to the arrangement.

Sport says that Napoli would be also keen on signing the Barcelona defender this month but the player's priority is to remain in La Liga and return to his former side.

Estadio Deportivo also say that Vidal has a lot of options to "become Sevilla's next signing" after adding more details about the last offer made by the club.

The local publication claims that the Andalucian side will pay €2m for getting Vidal on loan until the end of the season with the remaining €6m to follow in the summer if the qualify for the Champions League.