Whilst it looks like Arsenal have given up on their big Belgian centre-back, Thomas Vermaelen, Manchester United seem to have a little more staying power. Whilst Vermaelen has barely had a look in for the last year or so at The Emirates, The Red Devils continue to get linked with a move for the 28-year-old.
The way that Thomas Vermaelen’s form has all but deserted him over the last 12 months is somewhat remarkable. He went from being Arsenal’s most reliable, confident and assured defender to being a disaster waiting to happen.
He’s always been a brave footballer who’s willing to throw himself into tackles and put his body on the line. But in recent times, this do-or-die attitude has transformed into over-eagerness. This has resulted in him giving away a number of needless fouls, making unforced errors and gifting possession to the opposition. It’s been difficult to watch.
Whilst he’s still Arsenal club captain, Arsene Wenger clearly favours his French and German duo, Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker. At the moment, it’s difficult to see how Thomas Vermaelen could make his way back into The Gunners’ first team.
So what are we to make of The Mirror‘s claim that Arsenal rejected a £6m bid for Thomas Vermaelen from Manchester United last week? Should Arsene Wenger have given Vermaelen an exit route, or are The Gunners right to play hard ball?
The aforementioned source suggests that Arsenal are holding out for at least £12m for their experienced centre-back. Despite everything that’s happened over the last year, it strikes me that The Gunners’ estimation of their player is a little closer to his proper market value than Manchester United’s bid.
Not so long ago, he was one of the Premier League’s best defenders. He’s young enough that he could re-find his feet again and go on to have many more years of success. It’s easy to see why Manchester United are interested. Equally, it’s easy to see why Arsenal would try to resist their advances.
So here’s the situation: if Manchester United want Vermaelen, they’ll need to put their money where their mouth is. After all, The Gunners aren’t really in a position where they need to sell.
What’s your take? Should Manchester United continue to pursue Thomas Vermaelen?
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