The name of Royal Antwerp’s Arthur Vermeeren is starting to become known in the world of football and the 18-year-old currently has two European giants chasing his signature in the form of Arsenal and Barcelona.
The Belgian midfielder has been monitored by the Catalan club for a while now and Xavi got a close look at the youngster having played against Barca in the Champions League back in September.
According to SPORT, Barcelona will sign a promising midfielder next summer and Vermeeren is one of the names on the transfer list – although the 18-year-old is no longer a priority for sporting director Deco.
Barcelona’s interest in the Belgian star will become clearer closer to the summer market but in the meantime, the Spanish outfit fear Arsenal could make a move in January.
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.