Thomas Vermaelen has signed a five-year contract with
Barcelona after completing his £15million move from
Arsenal.
Manchester United were also keen on the 28-year-old
Belgium international but pulled out of the deal when
Arsenal asked for a player, believed to be Chris Smalling,
in part exchange.
It is second defensive addition of the transfer window by
Barcelona. Last month they confirmed the signing of
Valencia’s French defender Jeremy Mathieu for €20m.
Barca did not publish any financial details on their
website (www.fcbarcelona.es) but Spanish media said they
had agreed to pay about 19 million euros for Vermaelen.
The 28-year-old defender joined Arsenal in 2009 after a
nine-year stint at Ajax Amsterdam and quickly became a
fan favourite while also being promoted to club captain.
Vermaelen’s career has been hampered by injury and he
made only 21 appearances in the 2013-14 season after
falling behind Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker in
the pecking order.
Barca’s defence was a weak point last season, when they
failed to win major silverware for the first time in six years,
and coach Gerardo Martino was replaced by former
Barcelona and Spain midfielder Luis Enrique.
Vermaelen will compete for a place with Spain
international Gerard Pique, Frenchman Jeremy Mathieu,
who joined last month from Valencia (who can also play at
left-back), and Barca academy graduate Marc Bartra.
Javier Mascherano has mostly played in central defence
since joining Barcelona from Liverpool in 2010 but after
his performances in midfield for Argentina at the World
Cup he is widely expected to feature there for the club
next term.
Barca start the La Liga campaign, when they will be
chasing a fifth title in seven years, at home to Elche on
August 24.
OUR VIEW
If Arsenal have a plan in place to replace Vermaelen and
fast, this should not be a bad thing at all for the Gunners.
Truth be told, he hasn’t exactly been brilliant over the
years for them due to injuries and mixed form.
They have got most of the money they have paid for
Calum Chambers back who looks like he could be a
hungrier and fresher option at the back. However, they
could still do with using the money to bring in a more
experienced alternative option otherwise they will miss his
leadership qualities on more testing occasions.
SPANISH VIEW (Jorge Ordas, Eurosport Spain)
One of the big problems for Barcelona in recent years had
been in central defence. After Puyol’s retirement,
Mascherano was playing there but it was not the best
solution.
Now they have signed two defenders, Mathieu and
Vermaelen but neither of them looks to have the quality to
be the leader in Barcelona’s defence.
We know why Luis Enrique wanted them but, for the
moment, we don’t think they will send Pique to the bench.
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