For the past few weeks Thomas Vermaelen has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester United as the Belgium defender is a summer target of Louis van Gaal but the transfer has been stalled. In the previous season Arsene Wenger opted to play with Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny for the majority of the campaign which forced Vermaelen on having to sit on the sidelines of the team for a significantly long period of time.
Following the departure of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic from Old Trafford, the new coach of Manchester United wants to reinforce his defensive department and Thomas Vermaelen has turned into a top target. The Belgium defender can be used as a left-back or at the heart of the defence as a centre-back and that’s one of the main reasons on why Louis van Gaal is attempting to secure his services.
Having already signed Luke Shaw just demonstrates the importance that Van Gaal is setting into the backline of his team and a versatile player such as Vermaelen will improve it even further.
If Vermaelen does remain being an Arsenal player for the upcoming season, he will likely have to settle once more on a place in the sidelines of the squad considering the superb partnership of Mertesacker and Koscielny which allowed Arsenal on having one of the best defences of the previous season having only conceded 41 goals.
A move to Manchester United will allow Vermaelen to play a pivotal role in the club at Old Trafford as a first team player but the transfer will ultimately depend on whether or not Arsene Wenger is going to allow the Belgium defender on joining a rival club and how much Louis van Gaal is prepared to offer for his summer target.