Category: Transfer News

The Belgium defender of Arsenal, Thomas Vermaelen told Arsene Wenger that he wants to leave the club at the end of the current season during the season. Vermaelen has fallen out of favor for the coach who prefers placing Per Metersacker and Laurent Koscielny as the primary centre-defenders this has forced on having more time on the sidelines of the team than on the pitch.

 

Alex Kroes is the agent of Vermaelen and he revealed to the public the situation that his client is currently going through.

 

Alex Kroes told Le10 Sport: ‘Thomas has told Wenger that he wants to leave Arsenal this summer.

Kroes also went on talking about the rumors that were being spread around concerning Vermaelen and a possible move to Napoli.

‘Are the stories true? What you’ve read in the newspapers and on the internet is unfounded. Things that have been reported are not true, and I say this with full knowledge of the facts. Some outlets are beginning to speculate, but that’s all it is speculation. Now is not the time to talk.’

There still is nothing certain concerning the future of Vermaelen when he makes his way out of Arsenal but Serie A is starting to become his likely destination as Napoli and Inter Milan seem to be the clubs more interested in securing the services of the Belgium defender.

 

Inter Milan is closing in on Nemanja Vidic and the Italian side is interested in signing another defender from the Premier League. Patrice Evra will see his contract expiring in the summer and the Frenchman is a big target of Inter Milan but if the Italians are unable to sign him for any reason, Vermaelen is another viable option or alternative.

Thomas Vermaelen has had limited playing time in Arsenal this season and despite being linked with possible moves to Barcelona and Napoli, the Belgium defender is not worried about his future with the club and just wants to help out his club as that is everything he has on his mind.

 

“I don’t like to talk about my situation. It doesn’t matter. I am a player of Arsenal and I will do everything for this club. We will see what happens. It makes no sense to speculate about my future.

“We are still happy about our place in the table. To be title contenders we have to be very consistent. In the Premier League, everything is possible.” he told Belgian TV station Sporting Telenet.

Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny have been the preferred options for Arsene Wenger in this season leaving Vermaelen with much time on his hands to think about his current situation and future.

 

Although he has stated his commitment with Arsenal if his current situation does not change then it will hurt his chances to secure his spot in the 2014 World Cup. Boss of Napoli, Rafael Benitez knows that he cannot concede much more goals if they want to continue their title charge in the Serie A.

 

Juventus seemed to have found their stride in this season as they are at the top of the Italian league Serie A with a comfortable advantage of over 8 points and Benitez is aware of the situation as he wants to continue the positive season he has been enjoying in charge of Napoli.

 

As.Roma is only a few points ahead of Napoli in the Italian league standings and Benitez is hoping to secure a Champions League spot in what is his 1^st season in charge of Napoli. Raul Ablio and Federico Fernandez are the regular started in the defence of the Italian but the addition of Vermaelen will allow Benitez to rotate his players whenever needed.

Belgian defender Thomas Vermaelen has said that he will fight for a future at the Premier league club Arsenal after falling out of favour with manager Wenger in recent months.

Vermaelen has been one of the best players from Arsenal since arriving at the club from Ajax in a £ 12 million deal a few years ago. His performances have even led to him being named as the captain of the team after the departure of Robin van Persie in the summer. However, there has been talk of Barcelona coming in for his services in the summer (as well as rumours of a move to Anfield by an lfc fanzine, which has apparently affected his form.

He has not been a regular first-team player for Arsenal since the turn of the year, while he has been consistently dropped in recent weeks. Wenger has been favouring Laurent Koscielny and Mertesacker in recent weeks, while they have also not let down the Frenchman by pushing Arsenal to several clean sheets in the last few matches. This in turn has had a positive effect at the club, as they are in with a chance of finishing in the top four. After being on the bench for the recent 0-0 draw with Everton, Vermaelen has said that he will work hard in order to regain his first-team spot.

Wenger also said that he has a future at the club.

“Thomas is one of the best defenders in England, like the two others. I told them at the start of the season we have three outstanding central defenders. It is about game by game that I make a decision, and it is about partnership as well. Vermaelen has been a substitute for quite a few games and he still plays a big part in the game. I don’t see him as a substitute at all,” said Wenger after the Everton match.

Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen has said that he is extremely happy to see the defender Laurent Koscielny commit to a new deal at the club. A number of high profile players have been leaving Arsenal in the last few seasons due to their inability to win trophies. It has been seven seasons since Arsenal last lifted the trophy. Due to the dominance of the Manchester clubs, they’re not expected to be in the hunt for a major trophy this time around as well. As a result, they are expected to lose the attacking duo of Theo Walcott and Robin van Persie.

However, Arsenal fans have been delighted by the news that defender Laurent Koscielny has agreed to a new deal with the club. Even though he was extremely poor in the first few matches of his Arsenal career, Koscielny has developed into one of the best defenders in the league. He was largely responsible for keeping the defence of Arsenal stable in the absence of Thomas Vermaelen last season. The Belgian defender has said that he is extremely happy to see Koscielny agree to a new contract. The 26-year-old Belgian has been linked with a move to Barcelona, but he has quashed any such rumours by saying that he wants to stay at Arsenal.

“I heard the news that Laurent extended his contract and I’m really happy. From the start when he came to Arsenal he has shown he is a great player and he is developing really well. I think he has done everything for the club already and I hope he will stay a few more years. Of course he is not here at the moment because he is not fit – he had a holiday because he played in the Euros. But he is a great player and I’m happy that he signed for the club,” said Vermaelen.

Arsenal defender had has said that Lille playmaker Eden Hazard has not asked him for advice regarding the possible destination for the 21-year-old. Eden Hazard is one of the most sought-after players in Europe after having performed so exceptionally for French club Lille over the years.

He has been linked with the likes of Real Madrid, Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester city. A few of clubs like Arsenal and Tottenham have also been credited with a lot of interest for the Belgian playmaker. Arsenal were once the favourites to secure his signature due to the presence of fellow Belgian Thomas Vermaelen.

However, they have been unable to make the asking price of £ 32 million set by Lille. Only three clubs has been able to afford the huge transfer fee for the 21-year-old. Eden Hazard recently revealed that Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea are the three clubs who will be able to sign him. He has been seeking the advice of many players with whom he has a close relationship. However, Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen has said that he had not been approached for advice by the 21-year-old. Vermaelen has been a huge hit in the Premier league after his £ 11 million move from Ajax a few seasons ago.

“He didn’t come to me for any advice. I think he has a lot of people around him, so they can give him good advice about which club he should go to,” said Thomas Vermaelen. “It is a good competition for him. I think he can succeed in every team because he is a fantastic player and I think they will like him very much in England,” Fulham midfielder Dembele said. “I think Eden has the qualities and talent to play in England. On his day, he can make the difference for his team,” said Sunderland goalkeeper Mignolet.