Manchester United close in on Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen 

  • Thomas Vermaelen will opt to join Manchester United over Barcelona 
  • Barcelona officials had been in London this week in bid to sign defender
  • Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has agreed to let captain leave 

Thomas Vermaelen appears set to disappoint both Barcelona and Arsene Wenger by opting to join Louis van Gaal at Manchester United.

Barcelona officials have been in London this week in an attempt to lure Vermaelen from Arsenal and have tabled a more attractive financial package than United with a longer contract for the 28-year-old centre-half, who is available for £15million.

Wenger has agreed to let his captain leave and restart his career having been out of the team for more than a year and will not veto a move to Old Trafford, despite admitting he would rather see him go overseas.


VIDEO Scroll down for Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey: Vermaelen leaving will be a blow

Preference: Thomas Vermaelen is set to disappoint Barcelona and current club Arsenal by joining Man United

Preference: Thomas Vermaelen is set to disappoint Barcelona and current club Arsenal by joining Man United

Keen to stay in England: Vermaelen is dating English model Parsons

Keen to stay in England: Vermaelen is dating English model Polly Parsons

Reason to stick around: Belgian defender Vermaelen is going out with The Real Hustle star Polly Parsons

Reason to stick around: Belgian defender Vermaelen is going out with The Real Hustle star Polly Parsons

Cup of joy: Vermaelen and Parsons celebrate with the FA Cup after Arsenal beat Hull in May

Cup of joy: Vermaelen and Polly Parsons celebrate with the FA Cup after Arsenal beat Hull in May

Former flame: Polly Parsons used to date EastEnders actor Sid Owen 

Former flame: Polly Parsons used to date EastEnders actor Sid Owen 

Vermaelen seems set on move to Manchester. He has an English girlfriend, model Polly Parsons, and a young son, and would like to be reunited with his good friend Robin van Persie.

He would also have more chance of playing regularly, which is the only factor motivating a move from the Emirates Stadium.

The late interest from Barcelona may at least force United to increase their bid and help Vermaelen secure a longer contract, but the move should be complete before the Barclays Premier League starts next week.

Asked on Thursday about a bid from United, Wenger smiled before he said: ‘They could be in the group.’

No veto: Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has admitted Manchester United are among Vermaelen's suitors

No veto: Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has admitted Manchester United are among Vermaelen's suitors

As for the transfer, he added: ‘It could happen. He needs to play. We have sat and talked about it. He has shown an outstanding attitude and behaviour but we will not stand in his way if he finds an opportunity.’

Van Gaal wants Vermaelen to operate on the left of three centre-halves in a new-look United team and Wenger expects them to feature in a congested title race after finishing seventh last season. ‘There could be five or six this year,’ said Wenger. ‘Certainly United will come back into it.’

Vermaelen’s exit will force Wenger into the market to recruit a replacement. A defensive midfielder and a centre-half were identified as priority signings at a scouting meeting this week.

Wenger is expected to start with Laurent Koscielny and teenager Calum Chambers in central defence for the FA Community Shield against Manchester City on Sunday.

All smiles: New signing Calum Chambers looks set to start for Arsenal in Sunday's Community Shield

All smiles: New signing Calum Chambers looks set to start for Arsenal in Sunday's Community Shield

German internationals Per Mertesacker, Mesut Ozil and Lukas Podolski are not due back until Monday, while Swiss defender Johan Djourou is close to finalising a move to Hamburg.

In the past Bacary Sagna may have been moved into the centre but the right back is the latest to take the well-worn route from the Emirates to the Etihad Stadium.

‘I made him a proposal to stay for three years and he chose City,’ said Wenger. ‘It looks to me like he agreed it a long time before. It is always disappointing. Ideally I would have loved him to stay but he was super-professional until the last day of his contract and I respect that.’

Sagna has followed Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Adebayor, Gael Clichy and Samir Nasri to City but Wenger believes UEFA’s Financial Fair Play rules, brought in to stop clubs spending more money than they earn, are levelling the market and will make such a move more difficult in future.

Paris St Germain claimed yesterday that they had pulled out of talks to sign Angel di Maria from Real Madrid because it was too expensive, and City have spent less than Arsenal in this transfer window. ‘We are less vulnerable for sure,’ said Wenger.

 

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