Arsenal may be considering midfield reinforcements in the January transfer window, and there appears to be a development in their pursuit of Arthur Vermeeren.
Vermeeren, 18, has been linked with both Arsenal and Barcelona in recent months, following his fine form with Royal Antwerp.
He has already made 53 senior appearances, with two goals and seven assists from a deep midfield role, and could be on the move in January.
With Thomas Partey continuing to struggle with injury and Kai Havertz disappointing in midfield, Vermeeren may be seen as a long-term addition to replace Partey and Jorginho, as well as being able to make an instant impact.
Arsenal advance in Vermeeren deal
A report from Spanish outlet SPORT has now claimed that Arsenal are “considering” advancing in a deal to sign him for around £13m in January.
It is claimed that Arsenal have taken a step forward in a deal to sign him ahead of Barcelona, as they believe that he can instantly adapt to the team without any problems.
What could Vermeeren bring to Arsenal?
At 1.8m tall, he offers slightly more physicality than Jorginho, and can play in both a defensive midfield role as well as being able to play as a number eight.
This versatility makes him ideal in terms of profile, as he can play both alongside Declan Rice or Jorginho, as well as being able to provide cover for them.
The report has compared him to Sergio Busquets in terms of style: physical but also intelligent on the ball, and given Arsenal’s midfield issues, he could be a shrewd addition.
Arsenal have struggled to fill the left-sided central midfield position since the departure of Granit Xhaka, with none of Kai Havertz, Fabio Vieira or Emile Smith Rowe nailing down a starting spot in the role, and a signing in January could be key to any title challenge they want to embark on.
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
