Wonderkid hailed as ‘next Iniesta’ welcomes Manchester United transfer links

Belgian wonderkid Arthur Vermeeren has admitted “you never know” what could happen when grilled about Manchester United links.

Reports linked the 18-year-old with an Old Trafford move in March and have amplified since an impressive Champions League campaign. While Royal Antwerp finished bottom of Group H, Vermeeren turned heads by scoring in their 3-2 win over Barcelona.

He made two assists against Shakhtar Donetsk earlier in the European campaign to establish himself as one of the continent’s top prospects. Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal are other Premier League clubs understood to be monitoring his situation.

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A pleasant-on-the-eye, creative midfielder, Vermeeren has been likened to Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta. With two-and-a-half remaining on his Antwerp contract, he is valued at around £25million - and has left the door open for a United move.

“Yes (whether he has seen the Man United links),” he told Het Nieuwsblad. “Then you get the articles forwarded or my brothers will come with it. The youngest (sibling), 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, it won’t be concrete yet.

“In football, you never know. I would like to stay at this club for the rest of my life. Of course, you want to take it a step further but it is difficult to say when that will be possible. The puzzle must fit together.

“There are so many scenarios to take into account because,