What Xavi said about Arthur: How Barcelona star can improve and makes big prediction

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Barcelona legend Xavi has discussed the comparisons being made between him and Arthur as the latter continues to make a positive impression.

The 22-year-old arrived at the Nou Camp from Gremio this past summer, and has gone on to make 11 appearances so far this season.

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He has gradually become a more prominent figure in coach Ernesto Valverde’s plans in his starting line-up, and as seen in the videos below, there is no doubt that there is an uncanny resemblance to Xavi in his playing style at times.

From his composure and technical quality in possession in tight situations to get out of trouble to his vision and passing range, the Brazilian starlet is showcasing that he could very well fill the void left behind by the club icon.

The Catalan giants will certainly hope to see that development continue sothat he does indeed become increasingly like Xavi and has the same influence as the Spaniard did, and it would seem as though Arthur has now got the seal of approval from the man himself.

“He looks like me, I see myself in Arthur,” Xavi told Mundo Deportivo. “He thinks very fast and he still has to work, because I improved while I was at Barça and I would not have improved so much when I was at another club.

“Arthur looks mature. The priority in the middle of the field is not to lose the ball and he sees everything easy, plays well and little by little, I see a lot of potential. That’s how it happened to me. Little by little he will be gaining confidence and after 20 or 30 matches we will see an Arthur with confidence. I see a very very important player for the future of Barça.”

A criticism of the Brazilian thus far is that perhaps he needs to be a little more ambitious and creative with his passing to open up chances for his teammates and so to make a more decisive impact in an attacking sense.

Xavi clearly believes that will come with time and confidence, and so it remains to be seen how Arthur improves over the course of the campaign and continues to potentially live up to the billing of being Xavi’s heir.

Given his trophy haul and years of consistency at the highest level at the Nou Camp though, the Brazilian starlet still has a long way to go to match what he achieved.

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