How good is Vermeeren? Atlético Madrid beat out competition to sign 'next de Jong'

The Belgian Jupiler Pro League has earned a reputation for developing youngsters in recent years and Arthur Vermeeren is the most prodigious talent of them all. Victor Boniface and Loïs Openda are just two players to shine in one of European football’s top five leagues and Vermeeren has now joined the list after he moved to Atlético Madrid on Friday. The LaLiga giants beat out several clubs to sign the Royal Antwerp star for a reported €18m plus €2m in bonuses beating out clubs in England, Germany and Italy to the signature. Vermeeren has signed a contract until 2030.

Still just 18 years old, Vermeeren has already amassed over 60 senior appearances and he captained Antwerp in the Champions League against Porto this season. Although the Belgians finished bottom of their group, Vermeeren looked assured at the highest level of the game and he scored in a famous win over Barcelona and provided two assists against Shakhtar Donetsk. Vermeeren - already capped by Belgium - is learning under the tutelage of legendary Dutch midfielder Mark van Bommell at Antwerp but his departure is inevitable. 

Third highest market value rise amongst teenage midfielders in 2023 

Vermeeren had his breakthrough year in 2023 and he enjoyed the third biggest market value rise amongst teenage midfielders. The starlet was valued at just €500k in January but that soared to €30 million by the end of the calendar year. Only PSG wonderkid Warren Zaïre-Emery and Benfica sensation João Neves saw their valuations increase more amongst teenage midfielders. Vermeeren is also the most valuable player in Belgium and he ranks third for all players born in 2005, behind Bayern Munich’s Mathys Tel and Barcelona’s Vitor Roque. 

How good is Arthur Vermeeren?

While currently playing outside the top five leagues, Vermeeren’s natural ability solidified his position as one of the most highly-regarded young midfielders on the planet. His football intelligence defies his years and he’s incredibly composed when receiving possession and he possesses the confidence to play brave passes through the lines. Vermeeren’s positional play is also excellent and that understanding allows him to make interceptions and tackles without diving in recklessly. He predominately plays as a deep-lying midfielder (No.6) and he’s been compared to Frenkie de Jong but his skillset means he can be deployed as a No.8 effectively.

Who else was interested in Vermeeren? 

Most of Europe’s biggest clubs have scouted Vermeeren and he will firmly remain on their radars even after he joined Atlético. Barcelona were reportedly impressed by his performances against them in the Champions League this season and the Spanish giants aren’t alone. Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal are both known admirers with links to Spurs. Manchester United have also been previously linked and Vermeeren acknowledged the speculation in an interview last month.

 

"Yes,” Vermeeren replied when asked if he was aware of Man United’s interest. “Then you get the articles forwarded or my brothers will come with it. The youngest [14-year-old Caesar] in particular is always very enthusiastic. He reads everything and believes everything immediately! “Maybe that’s normal at that age but then I tell him that not everything that appears in the newspapers or online is true. All I know is if my lawyers haven’t told me about it then it won’t be concrete yet. We’ll see what happens but I want to finish the season here anyway. Asked if he dreams of playing in one of the top leagues, Vermeeren continued: “I definitely think about things like that. Germany is very good for your physical health, Serie A is more about tactics, in Spain it’s all about footballing ability and in England it’s about intensity. But there is no competition yet that I really prefer as it mainly depends on the teams.

How much is Vermeeren worth? 

Vermeeren’s current market value is €30m and it was expected that the former Antwerp star would break the Belgian league’s transfer record when he’s eventually sold. Charles De Ketelaere’s €36.5m move to AC Milan was seen as the benchmark, but instead Atlético Madrid was able to sign the Belgian midfielder for just €18m plus €2m in bonuses. Even with the bonuses included, Vermeeren remains outside the top ten of the biggest transfers in Jupiler Pro League history.