11 February 2023 , 01:00
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Manchester United's search for a long-term midfield solution has seen them keep tabs on Belgian starlet Arthur Vermeeren.
Vermeeren, who turned 18 on February 7, marked the occasion by signing a long-term deal with current club Royal Antwerp. The new deal will keep him with Mark van Bommel's team until 2026, but performances on the pitch have seen the likes of United linked with a swoop before then as they look to add future stars to a midfield bolstered by summer recruit Casemiro.
The teenager is an under-17 international with Belgium, and has been tipped as a future star for the senior side. He was still just 17 when he made his senior debut, coming off the bench in a Europa Conference League qualifier, and has played with experienced Belgian international Toby Alderweireld as well as former Man Utd youngster Ritchie De Laet.
According to The Mail, Man Utd aren't the only Premier League club to have looked at the teenager ahead of a potential move. Newcastle United have also been linked with Vermeeren, who has been valued at around £20m by his club.
A defensive midfielder by trade, the starlet is learning from one of the best in his position in the form of Antwerp boss Van Bommel. The former Wolfsburg and PSV Eindhoven boss won 79 caps for the Netherlands, playing in the 2010 World Cup final, and won the Champions League as a player with Barcelona in 2006.
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Despite starting the season waiting patiently for an opportunity, Vermeeren has established himself since the World Cup. He has started every single game since the Belgian league resumed in late December, with Antwerp losing just one of the eight matches in question to climb to third in the table, and was named as fans' player of the month in November as he made his first start for the club after a number of appearances from the bench.
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Arthur Vermeeren has become a first-team regular at Royal Antwerp at the age of 18 (Isosport/MB Media/Getty Images)"I am convinced that learning ability is the most important characteristic of talent," Royal Antwerp academy chief Steven Smet said when Vermeeren signed his contract extension. "That is precisely why it seems impossible to predict where Arthur's limits lie, because his learning and adaptability is unlimited."
Manchester United previously had a partnership with Royal Antwerp during Alex Ferguson's tenure as manager, sending a number of players on loan to the Belgian side. Several of those players, including defenders John O'Shea and Jonny Evans, would go on to win the Premier League with United.
Vermeeren's current team-mate De Laet, meanwhile, had a spell at Old Trafford after beginning his career with the Belgian side. He played just six times for United but would later go on to earn a Premier League winner's medal with Leicester City before returning to his hometown side.