Standard Liège’s Axel Witsel has a dream: to leave his country at the age of 22 so as to play in one of Europe’s most important leagues.

Speaking to the Corriere dello Sport, his father explained that his son is ready for the next step as he confessed that he met with Italian Serie A side Fiorentina and spoke with Bari’s Jean-François Gillet, Bologna’s Gaby Mudingayi and ex-Fiorentina winger Anthony Vanden Borre to understand what the Serie A is all about.

Thierry Witsel continued by saying that the 22-year has no specific target ahead of this summer’s transfer window but his dream is to play in the Premier League, for Arsenal.

The midfielder was voted Player of the Year in Belgium in 2008 and arrived second this season with Club Brugge’s Ivan Perišić – now at Borussia Dortmund – winning the award.

On his son’s future, Thierry Witsel said:

Axel is ready to play in one of Europe’s three major leagues: Serie A, Premier League or La Liga.

I personally hope that this was his last season with Standard as he needs to grow and to do it he needs to leave the country.

Fiorentina? They have been monitoring my son for a long time and I know there was a contact with their managers but the Italian club is the not the only one interested.

He spoke with Gillet, Mudingayi and also Anthony Vanden Borre. Where he wants to go? He doesn’t have a specific target but he has a dream and it’s called Arsenal, but this doesn’t mean that he’s not open to other clubs.

He’s only 22 but he was Belgium’s best player in 2008 and this season he arrived second.