Barcelona will face stiff competition from Serie A giants Juventus for 18-year-old Belgian midfielder Arthur Vermeeren.
According to Fabrizio Romano on Caught Offside, Arthur Vermeeren is the subject of interest from Juventus. The Serie A giants have had scouts watch the 18-year-old midfield prodigy. The Royal Antwerp wonderkid is also a target for Barcelona and Premier League bigwigs.
Arthur Vermeeren has become one of the most sought-after young prospects in Europe since breaking into the Royal Antwerp first team. A former trainee with Lierse SK and KV Mechelen, the Belgian whizkid joined Royal Antwerp in 2018. And he has gone from strength to strength in the last half a decade.
The 18-year-old broke into the Royal Antwerp first team at the onset of the 2022/23 season. Since then, Vermeeren has grown in stature at the Bosuilstadion, already racking up nearly 1,500 minutes of game time this term. Meanwhile, the youngster’s progress has not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of several high-profile clubs.
Recent reports have linked Vermeeren with Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester United. The teenage sensation is also the subject of interest from Barcelona. But the Catalan giants face stiff competition from Juventus in the race to sign the young midfielder from Royal Antwerp.
Juventus can do with a midfield reinforcement heading into the 2024 summer transfer window. They are in a spot of bother over Adrien Rabiot’s long-term future. In addition, the Serie A club’s midfield unit has been sub-par for several seasons. So, an injection of youth and quality from Vermeeren can be the best way forward for the Bianconeri.
The report claims that the Serie A giants have watched the 18-year-old midfield prodigy. But he has also been the subject of scouting missions from Barcelona. Recent reports have suggested that Vermeeren is aware of Barcelona’s interest in his services. With Oriol Romeu on the wrong side of 30, the Royal Antwerp wonderkid is a viable target for the Blaugrana.
Also Read: Three cost-effective January midfield targets for Barcelona
But amid Juventus’s emerging interest, Barcelona must move quickly to secure Vermeeren’s services. Otherwise, they will face the prospect of a hijack from Juventus and Premier League heavyweights.
