Who is Arthur Vermeeren? The Belgian wonderkid wanted by Man Utd, Arsenal & Barcelona

Robin Bairner

• 13 Jan 2024 11:52 GMT
• 5 min read

Royal Antwerp midfielder Arthur Vermeeren has undoubtedly been the breakout star of 2023 in Belgium and his performances in his homeland have attracted interest from some of Europe's biggest clubs.

Vermeeren broke into the starting XI as a 17-year-old in late 2022 and immediately made himself an indispensable starter for Mark van Bommel.

Unsurprisingly for a player who has been performing to such a standard, Premier League clubs have taken note of his talent, with Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle United among those clubs who have been most closely linked with the teenager.

Barcelona have also been keeping tabs for a while as Vermeeren could potentially act as their long-term replacement for Sergio Busquets.

But, who is Vermeeren and why is there so much hype surrounding him?

What position does Arthur Vermeeren play?

Vermeeren is a defensive midfielder, who is also capable of pushing forward into a box-to-box role. He typically plays deep and is involved in a great deal of defensive work and is responsible for much of Antwerp's ball progression.

How good is Arthur Vermeeren?

Vermeeren was one of the best performing midfielders in Belgian football during the 2022-23 season, which is quite incredible given that he had not played a league match until the middle of October and was only pressed into action because of an injury crisis.

Just days after his 18th birthday, head coach Van Bommel was touting him for a call up to the Belgium international team – no slight praise coming from a man who was among the best in the world in the position during his heyday.

“The whole club is very happy with Arthur. I already knew at the first training that he would make minutes. He is doing well, playing top matches every week. His development is going well,” he said.

“I think ‘Tuur’ is capable of playing for Belgium - he wouldn't look out of place in the least. Things can go fast for him, but we shouldn't put any pressure on him. I'm not saying he should be there, but it is possible.

“Arthur has so far adapted smoothly to every step up, so… He has a down-to-earth family, doesn't do crazy things himself. That is already special.”

In October 2023, Van Bommel's wish came true as Vermeeren made his senior Belgium debut against Austria at just 18 years old. One month later, he started his first international game and played 90 minutes in a 1-0 friendly win over Serbia.

Vermeeren ranks as one of the best all-round prospects in world football, with his match intelligence similar to that of a player twice his age.

He is an outstandingly press-resistant midfielder and has begun adding final-third contributions too. That was seen in Antwerp's shock 3-2 win over Barcelona in the Champions League group stage, a game in which Vermeeren opened the scoring in the second minute.

The Belgian is brilliant at progressing the ball via his immaculate passing range and he breaks up play like a typically no-nonsense defensive midfielder. It's no surprise that almost every elite team is chasing his signature because he is the real deal.

What clubs are interested in Arthur Vermeeren?

There are a lot of clubs who have named Vermeeren as a transfer target since his breakout at Antwerp.

In September 2023, it was reported that Vermeeren was 'aware' of interest from Barcelona, while later that month Mundo Deportivo revealed that Manchester United, RB Leipzig, Ajax, Borussia Dortmund, AS Monaco and West Ham United were all keen.

Arsenal and Manchester City joined the race in October, while Newcastle and Ajax reportedly also hold interest in the youngster.

How old is Arthur Vermeeren?

Vermeeren was born on February 7, 2005. He is 18 years old at the time of writing.

When does Arthur Vermeeren’s contract expire?

His current deal with Antwerp expires on June 30, 2026.

The Belgian club moved quickly to tie him down to an extended deal just days after his 18th birthday, with his previous contract having been set to expire in June 2024.

What is Arthur Vermeeren’s Instagram?

Vermeeren's Instagram account is @arthur_vermeeren. He has 22.5k followers as of December 2023.