Barcelona Reportedly Closing In on Signing Gremio's Arthur Melo

Barcelona are reportedly set to beat a number of Premier League clubs to the signing of Gremio midfielder Arthur Melo after the Brazil youth international confirmed his preference is to switch to the Camp Nou.

According to Mundo Deportivo (via James Whaling of the Mirror), Barca technical secretary Robert Fernandez is in Brazil to complete the deal to sign the 21-year-old, who has also been linked with a number of England's biggest clubs, including Manchester United.

The expectation is a deal that would see the midfielder join Barcelona in the summer will be agreed, per Whaling.

Arthur has been linked to Barca for some time, and it was reported in late January that negotiations for his signing were expected in February, with his release clause set at €50 million (£44.3 million), per Joaquim Piera of Sport.

He was key to Gremio's triumph in the 2017 Copa Libertadores back in November, playing a starring role in the final despite having to be substituted in the second leg because of injury.

Per Piera, Fernandez previously compared Arthur to Barcelona legends Xavi and Andres Iniesta.

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It is also no surprise Barca are looking to sign a similar type of player to that pair. At 33, Iniesta's importance at the club in a playing capacity is diminishing. Xavi, 37, left the Camp Nou in 2015 for Qatari club Al-Sadd, and he's said this will be his final season before retirement, per BBC Sport.

Arthur is capable of playing in a number of different positions, but he is most comfortable as a deep-lying playmaker.

In both legs of the Copa Libertadores, for example, he started alongside defensive midfielder Jailson in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Ernesto Valverde's Barcelona squad is strong, but the side lacks depth in the engine room, with Andre Gomes looking increasingly like a dead weight.

Arthur could be an exciting addition to the team as a potential long-term successor to Iniesta.