
Manchester United have joined Barcelona in the race to sign highly-rated Belgian midfielder Arthur Vermeeren, according to Mundo Deportivo (today’s edition).
The 18-year-old made his first-team debut for Royal Antwerp in August last year and he has since been a regular starter in the centre of the park for the Belgian champions.
His progress has been monitored by Barcelona over the past year and sporting director Deco has already spoken with his counterpart Marc Overmars at Antwerp over a deal.
However, they are not alone in the pursuit. Mundo Deportivo claim that Barcelona have been warned of outside interest. United are one of the clubs keen on the teenager.
Antwerp are looking for a fee between €20-25 million to sanction his sale.
Man Utd must prise away Vermeeren ahead of Barcelona
Vermeeren is currently one of the best emerging midfielders in world football. The 18-year-old has caught the eye with his distribution, tackling and ability to make regular ball recoveries.
He can play in both the defensive and central midfield positions. This season, he has shown his creative side with one goal and five assists from 19 appearances across all competitions.
His huge potential has seen him dubbed as the ‘new Andres Iniesta‘ by Sport, but there have also been comparisons with Xavi Hernandez and Frenkie de Jong for his composure on the ball.
Vermeeren would be a brilliant long-term signing for United. The Red Devils must capitalise on Barcelona’s financial troubles to sign the Belgian wonderkid as soon as possible.
A winter deal would be ideal for United, considering Barcelona are focused on registering Vitor Roque and can’t spend big with their ongoing Financial Fair Play issues with La Liga.
Whether United can afford him is another question. The Red Devils need to sell a high-profile star to buy someone in January due to FFP issues. The club should consider offloading Scott McTominay to sign Vermeeren.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com
