Liverpool, Arsenal Competing to Sign Max Meyer Amid Barcelona Withdrawal Rumours

Liverpool and Arsenal will reportedly go head-to-head to sign Schalke midfielder Max Meyer this summer amid rumours Barcelona have dropped their interest in him. 

According to Mundo Deportivo (h/t the Mirror), the Blaugrana have withdrawn their interest in the Germany international, leaving the Premier League duo as the front-runners for his signature, with Meyer thought to be high on Arsenal's wishlist.

The Gunners continue to be without the injured Santi Cazorla, and Jack Wilshere has yet to sign a new deal. The Reds did not replace Philippe Coutinho after he moved to Barcelona in January, and Emre Can's contract is up at the end of the season.

Meyer, 22, has spent most of his career as a No. 10 but has also provided cover as a winger and even at centre-forward.

However, the Germany international has undergone a positional change this season, having been used in a much deeper and more defensive holding-midfield role. And he has excelled, per WhoScored.com:

Though Liverpool could still use a replacement for Coutinho, building a strong foundation in front of their defence should be a higher priority, and Meyer could be a useful asset in that regard.

Similarly, Arsenal have Mesut Ozil and Henrikh Mkhitaryan in their ranks, so they are covered when it comes to creativity, but they too are sorely in need of a shield for their back line.

Meyer could provide that thanks to his impressive ball-winning skills, and he's composed in possession too. According to Squawka, he has completed 13 of the 16 take-ons he has attempted this season, and he has maintained a passing accuracy of 89 per cent.

The midfielder looks likely to be leaving his club this summer, as his contract is up. Per Goal's Ronan Murphy, it seems his representatives are at an impasse with Schalke:

Meyer's development looked to have stalled somewhat last season, but he has been given a new lease of life in his new position, and he would be a valuable addition to either Arsenal or Liverpool.