Manchester United are in talks to sign young Belgian midfielder Arthur Vermeeren as Erik ten Hag looks to sign exciting talent for the future.
What’s the latest on Arthur Vermeeren to Manchester United?
According to Spanish outlet Sport, Barcelona are keen on signing the Royal Antwerp midfielder ahead of next season as they look for a future heir to replace the departing Sergio Busquets. However, Man United have ‘made contact’ with his representatives and could potentially make a move themselves.
The youngster would only cost around €8m (£7m) according to the report, which could turn out to be an excellent investment for the future, especially as Ten Hag is “in love” with his style of play.
Could Vermeeren be the ideal Casemiro heir at Man United?
Casemiro arrived in Manchester for a £60m fee last summer as Ten Hag looked to add some stability to United’s midfield, and even though the fee was certainly eye-watering for a player aged 30, he has been an excellent signing.
With United securing Champions League qualification following a 4-1 win over Chelsea, Casemiro has been an integral part of Ten Hag’s side. Across 27 Premier League appearances, the midfielder, now 31, ranks as the second-best performer in the United squad with an average Sofascore match rating of 7.22/10, while underlining his importance to the Dutchman by ranking first for tackles per game (3.3), second for interceptions per game (1.3) and third for big chances created (6).
However, he won’t be around forever, and Vermeeren could be an ideal heir for the former Real Madrid star in the coming years.
The 5 foot 9 sensation, like Casemiro, also ranks in the top three of his squad for his performances this term, posting an average Sofascore rating of 7.05/10 while also ranking highly for interceptions per game (1.3), tackles per game (2.7) and big chances created (three), with these stats fairly similar to that of Casemiro’s, albeit at a different level of football.
Football talent scout Jacek Kulig described the teen starlet as “one of the most exciting prospects in Belgium” back in February due to his impressive performances in the Pro League, and it certainly looks as though his potential is limitless – especially if United and Barcelona are keeping tabs on him.
With an 83% pass success rate and averaging 52.2 touches per game in the league, Vermeeren already appears extremely comfortable on the ball while demonstrating his impressive passing ability in Belgium.
If Ten Hag manages to secure the signing of the 18-year-old, he could turn into an ideal heir for Casemiro, and learning alongside the Brazilian will surely only improve his own abilities.
