Thomas Vermaelen

[M+D]

Verm in at Arsenal

Arsenal are set to make a £7.5million bid for Ajax defender Thomas Vermaelen.

Manager Arsène Wenger received glowing reports about the Belgian-born Vermaelen and has had him checked by leading members of his scouting staff. The feedback has been positive on the Ajax skipper, who can play in central defence or at left-back.

He is 23 and has shown such leadership qualities that he was appointed captain this season. He has also established himself as a regular in the Belgian national team - and he is also versatile, another trait that Wenger admires.

Link

 

[truth_hurts]

What sort of defender is he? more old school Toure, Senderos or Campbell in style?

 

[Asterix]

Leadership qualities sound good. According to Wiki he's 5'11" - so not the commanding, imposing CB we probably need.

 

[LucasNL]

He's captained most of Ajax' games this season. Intelligent player who relies more on positioning, team work and mentality than physical qualities. His technical skills are good, he has played a lot of games at LB and has really developed his passing and dribbling skills. He's not a tall, commanding CB who'll win headers and mark players like Drogba out of the game, so I'm not sure he's what we need.

 

[Linson]

Just the fact that it says he can play at left back as well as centre back means he isn't going to be the all-action centre-half we've been crying out for.

 

[Clrnc]

I remember he was one of the ****s right during our pre-season in Amsterdam

 

[LucasNL]

According to a very, very reliable Dutch newspaper we're preparing a new bid for Vermaelen, although there are no quotes or mention of the source.

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.sportwereld.nl/voetbal/clubdossiers/ajax/3239400/Arsenal_jaagt_op_Thomas_Vermaelen.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.sportwereld.nl/voetbal/clubd ... aelen.html</a>

 

[asajoseph]

Right, where's clockwork when we need him....

 

[clockwork orange]

I guess LucasNL's comment about AD being very very reliable was joke. AD are the source of this rumour and it's not mentioned what it's based on. They mention Villa & us recently had scouts watching Ajax (& Belgium) matches. Thereafter the mention Vermaelen made a good impression on our scouts (sincerely doubt our scouts would be so stupid to share that info). Rumours like this are usually mainly based on seeing a scout & than guesstimating which player he's looking at.

Vermaelen is a decent defender, good positional game, good passing, but maybe a bit short on physique for the EPL. He also has a contract until 2012 & Ajax, who do rate him themselves and consider him a key player, have no need to sell him & will surely ask top money for him. Pretty sure they'll ask more than Arsène is prepared to pay.

 

[kamikaze80]

short on physique? no thanks. we don't need a squad player to replace silvestre at CB and LB, we need a first team, european class CB.

 

[Gurgen]

Please no.

 

[GoonerGurjit]

Arsenal lining up summer bid for Ajax defender Vermaelen

By Rob Draper Last updated at 8:58 PM on 23rd May 2009

Arsène Wenger is poised to make a move for Ajax centre-half Thomas Vermaelen as he tests the board's willingness to back him in the transfer market this summer.

But the Arsenal manager has already had to rule out signing Juventus centre-half Giorgio Chiellini because of the £13million limit the board has placed on summer transfers.

Wanted man: Thomas Vermaelen could be on his way to the Emirates

Though Wenger has rejected a chance to manage Real Madrid next season, he did so only after assurances from Arsenal's new chief executive Ivan Gazidis that the board will be more supportive.

Last week's crisis meeting with Gazidis came as Wenger's relationship with the Arsenal board reached a nadir after he was told he had only £13m of new funds and that any extra would have to be raised by selling Emmanuel Adebayor.

Wenger was furious when directors did little to defend him at a stormy shareholders' meeting, failing to make it clear he had to work to a budget.

Gazidis has promised Wenger the board will no longer give the impression there is plentiful money to spend.

However, Belgium defender Vermaelen, 23, is expected to join this summer.

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1186949/Arsenal-lining-summer-bid-Ajax-defender-Vermaelen.html?ITO=1490" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/arti ... l?ITO=1490</a>

 

[kooldawg]

How reliable is the Daily Mail when it comes to news? Is it like the Sun?

 

[raidersoftheark]

Good player.

 

[Webdesignlab]

Leadership qualities sound good. According to Wiki he's 5'11" - so not the commanding, imposing CB we probably need.

We need height ... size does matter.

 

[A_Gooner_Matata]

Sounds like we may actually be after him...or not, who knows?

 

[Wenger14]

If this is true, I can't see the logic behind it and hope he's not the only defender we bring in.

 

[kamikaze80]

he's not better than gallas. next!

 

[Gurgen]

I don't even consider him good enough for Ajax. Though maybe I overrate Ajax these days.

 

[ibby]

How reliable is the Daily Mail when it comes to news? Is it like the Sun?

It's alright for football news, a bit of a step up from the tabloids but a step down from the boardsheets, it's nothing on the Guardian.