La Liga giants eyeing move for Arsenal star

By Staff Writer
Updated: 5 July, 2012

Arsenal face a fight to keep defender Thomas Vermaelan according to the MailONLINE who claim Barcelona are stepping up their search for a central defender.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger lost captain Cesc Fabregs to the Catalan giants last summer and will be loath to see another of his stars leave the Emirates Stadium, however the MailONLINE report Barca are eyeing the Belgian international as a possible transfer target.

New coach Tito Vilanova is keen to strenghten the back line at the Camp Nou and has asked Sporting Director Andoni Zubizarreta to increase his efforts to find reinforcements after losing out on original target, Thiago Silva of Milan.

According to the reports, Catalan daily SPORT suggest Javi Martinez is first choice for Barca however Vermaelen and Bayern Munich’s Holger Badstuber are also on the agenda.

Vermaelen arrived at the Emirates Stadium for a fee of €10million in 2009 and the 26-year-old has gone on to play almost 70 games under Arsene Wenger.

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