Barcelona say they will complete the \u00a315m signing of Arsenal’s Belgium international defender Thomas Vermaelen on a five-year contract on Sunday.<\/p>\n
The La Liga club released a statement on Saturday saying they had reached an agreement to sign Vermaelen, and the 28-year-old had passed a medical.<\/p>\n
Vermaelen joined Arsenal from Ajax for \u00a310m in 2009 and made 150 appearances.<\/p>\n
“Thomas Vermaelen is a natural leader who has captained both Ajax and Arsenal,” said Barcelona’s statement.<\/p>\n
“He plays at centre-back, and as well as having an impressive physique he is excellent with the ball at his feet and reads the game well.”<\/p>\n
Vermaelen will sign his contract on Sunday before being officially presented as the Catalan club’s player at a news conference.<\/p>\n
He was a target for Manchester United but they ended their interest after refusing Arsenal’s demand to receive a player as part of the deal.<\/p>\n
Vermaelen was troubled by a series of injuries and lost his place at centre-back last season as Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger favoured Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny.<\/p>\n
His form and fitness meant he made just 21 appearances in all competitions last term and Wenger admitted this week that the player needed to move on.<\/p>\n
Vermaelen becomes Barca’s second centre-back signing this summer after Valencia’s Jeremy Mathieu, their first recruit in that position since 2009. <\/p>\n
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