Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester City in transfer pursuit of Belgian wonderkid as ‘contact made’

Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur are all thought to be interested in a transfer move for 18-year-old Royal Antwerp midfielder Arthur Vermeeren, according to journalist Graeme Bailey on X.

Bailey also reports that City, Spurs and Arsenal have all ‘been in contact’ with Antwerp regarding the youngster’s availability. Interest in the midfielder is certainly high - Antwerp will need to fend off interest from some of European football’s biggest hitters if they want to keep the Belgium U21 international at the club.

Who else, besides the clubs mentioned, are interested in a move for Arthur Vermeeren?

Arsenal, Spurs and City are not the only clubs who have been linked with a move for Vermeeren - there are several high-profile teams from outside the Premier League who are thought to be monitoring his progress.

On X, Bailey also notes that Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and Juventus are all ‘keen’ on a potential transfer for the player, but have not been in contact with Antwerp as of yet.

Therefore, any club that wishes to bring Vermeeren on board must brace themselves for an intense bidding war. Some of the clubs mentioned, especially City and Bayern Munich, are among the richest teams in world football at present.

What would Arthur Vermeeren add to Arsenal or Tottenham?

A natural central midfielder, Vermeeren possesses an impressive range of passing and vision. Moreover, he also has the defensive instincts to be able to function as a holding midfielder.

Despite this, Antwerp could command a hefty fee for the Belgian. Not only is he highly rated by the club, having started every game in their league campaign so far, he is also under contract at The Great Old until the summer of 2026 [via Transfermarkt].

Furthermore, at the age of just 18, he may not be ready for the hustle and bustle of the Premier League at this fledgling stage in his potentially glittering professional career.