Confusion over Arthur's proposed move to Barcelona amid delays in negotiations with Gremio

Arthur's proposed move from Gremio to Barcelona could be set for a major twist amid contradictory reports from Sport, Mundo Deportivo and Marca regarding the extent of negotiations between the clubs.

On Monday, (5 March) Gremio chief-executive Carlos Amodeo confirmed that he had arrived in Spain and was set to meet with officials from Barcelona in order to finalise the sale of the 21-year-old midfielder to the Nou Camp.

"We are waiting to know the time but we will meet with Pep Segura and Òscar Grau," Amodeo told Mundo Deportivo from his hotel in Barcelona.

"We had good harmony in the meetings [with Robert Fernandez] in Brazil but there is some points to discuss with them. The transfer would be for January 2019, there would be no clause that would allow [Barcelona] to advance the signing of Arthur for this summer."

The meeting took place on Tuesday [6 March] and Sport says in its Wednesday' [8 March]front cover that there is already a pre-agreement between the clubs for the La Liga giants to pay €30m (£26.8m, $37.2m) plus €10m in add-ons.

The Catalan publications adds that Arthur will sign a five-year deal at Barcelona and the clubs are only waiting to solve some financial issues and decided when the midfielder will make the move the Nou Camp, before announcing the agreement.

However, Mundo Deportivo says that there have been some delays in those talks due to the difference between Gremio and Barcelona over when to make the payments.

The other Catalan publication says that the Brazilian outfit want Barcelona to pay them some of the €30m agreed now but the La Liga giants want to delay that initial payment until July, with the Ernesto Valverde's side having already made a massive investment during the current financial year in the form of Ousmane Dembele, Phillipe Coutinho, Paulinho, Nelson Semedo and Yerry Mina.

Mundo Deportivo says that the Gremio officials threatened with returning to Brazil without a deal but Barcelona still hope to reach an agreement given that on Tuesday Arthur expressed his firm desire to move to the Nou Camp.

"I'm anxious to go to Barça. Of course the situation generates anxiety. It's normal, but I've got my head in place. I've brought my family to be with me, it's an important moment and nothing's better than having your family by your side," Arthur said during Fan Day event with Gremio supporters as quoted by Sport.

"Now we have to wait. I am sure that everyone is working hard so that the situation has a happy ending. Everything is in the hands of the two clubs, I am convinced the deal will be good for all parties, that's the most important thing."

However, Marca is much more pessimistic than the Catalans publications and says that negotiations between the clubs are currently uneven.

The Madrid-based publication says that Gremio officials are planning to return to Brazil, barring a significant change in tune.

Marca says that there are several areas each party do not agree on, including commission payments and player salaries.

Furthermore, the report adds that the collapse of negotiations could open the door for other clubs to join the battle with the likes of Inter Milan and Real Madrid having also been linked with Arthur in recent months.