Arsenal could have their move for Royal Antwerp midfielder Arthur Vermeeren hijacked by North London rivals Tottenham, according to The Sun.

The Belgian international has been heavily linked with a move to the Emirates in recent months but the English tabloid claims that Spurs are now preparing a “stunning £25m swoop” for the teenager.

It is believed that Ange Postecoglou’s side are willing to sign Vermeeren in January and loan him back to Antwerp for the rest of the season.

They used a similar tactic when they recruited Desinty Udogie from Udinese at the start of this year and they are hoping it will help them land Vermeeren next month.

Who is Arthur Vermeeren?

The 18-year-old made his senior debut for Antwerp in the Europa Conference League at the start of last season and it only took a matter of weeks for him to become a regular starter for Antwerp.

Over the course of the 2022/23 campaign, Vermeeren played 34 games in all competitions. He has almost reached the same number of appearances this season already, playing 30 times, scoring 2 goals and providing 6 assists.

The youngster is a holding midfield player, with the ability to set the tempo of the game with his excellent passing range. It’s very likely that Arsenal see him as a replacement for Jorginho, whose contract expires at the end of June.

There are also other Premier League clubs pursuing the player

The Sun also claim that Chelsea have “sent” scouts to watch Vermeeren in action this season, along with the Gunners and Tottenham.

Teams on the continent have also been keeping close tabs on the midfielder’s progress, with the likes of Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund monitoring his performances. A lot, though, will depend on who is willing to match Antwerp’s demands and, at the moment, it seems like Spurs are in pole position.