The name of Royal Antwerp’s Arthur Vermeeren is starting to become recognised in the football world, and the 18-year-old is presently being pursued by two European heavyweights in the form of Arsenal and Barcelona.
The Catalan club has been watching the Belgian midfielder for some time, and Xavi had a good look at him when he played against Barcelona in the Champions League back in September.
Barcelona will recruit a talented midfielder next summer, according to SPORT, and Vermeeren is one of the names on the transfer list – albeit the 18-year-old is no longer a priority for sports director Deco.
Barcelona’s interest in the Belgian star will become obvious as the summer transfer window approaches, but the Spanish club fears Arsenal may make a January offer.
Arsenal are believed to be considering making a move to sign Vermeeren for around €15m during the January transfer window.
Mikel Arteta is keen to add to his midfield for a busy second half of the season and sees the 18-year-old star as an option for the present and future.
The Antwerp star looks certain to take the next step in his career in 2024, therefore, it may be wise for the Premier League club to get a jump on the competition by moving for the midfielder in January.