Arsenal ‘closing in on £13m January deal for Belgium wonderkid as they look to pip Barcelona to signature of defensive midfielder’ being compared to Spain icon Sergio Busquets

Arsenal have reportedly moved ahead of Barcelona in the battle to sign a promising young Belgium starlet in January. 

The Gunners are embarking on another title charge this season after an encouraging start to the season saw them rising to second in the table with 24 points from their first ten games – and boss Mikel Arteta is still looking to the future to maintain the club’s upward trajectory. 

And according to Spanish outlet Sport, the Premier League outfit are now leading the race to sign one of Royal Antwerp’s most highly-rated youngsters in the January transfer window, despite Barcelona previously being tipped to bring him to Spain. 

Arthur Vermeeren, 18, is being mooted as a future star of the Belgium national team and has impressed many with his confident and mature displays in the middle of the park for Antwerp, the club he joined when he was just 13. 

Sport claim Barcelona are still interested in Vermeeren but have not made a decision on signing him. 

Mikel Arteta (L) has reportedly stepped up interest in the £13m-rated star ahead of Xavi (R)

They are aware that they could lose out on the player, the report adds, with Arsenal now ‘advancing’ in their bid to sign him – at a price of around £13million.

Vermeeren has been monitored by Barcelona scouts for some time – with his impressive ball deliveries and positional sense admired by the Spanish side – and the player’s characteristics ‘would fit perfectly’ at the club, it claims.

He has been compared to Barca club legend Sergio Busquets, while Antwerp’s director of football Marc Overmars said he had shades of Andres Iniesta and Xavi.

‘I do not have doubts that Vermeeren can play [for] Barca,’ he told FCBN. ‘Like Xavi and Iniesta… Vermeeren [has] the same profile.’ 

Vermeeren is seen as Belgium’s next big star and has impressed in the…