Vermaelen is a good defender so I don't understand where all the questions are coming from regarding his ability as a centre-back. If you're questioning his fitness then fine but we all know that a player who's always in and out of the physio room will always have a problem getting back to top form. When he first joined the league he was amazing.
Thomas Vermaelen
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He was never gonna sit on the bench at Arsenal for another season, just surprised United have come in for him.
There's a decent player in there if he works hard and can stay fit he can be a decent option, especially in a back 3 imo.
You answered your own question. People are worried that injuries may have taken a toll on him, and he may have regressed as a player and is not good enough as first choice CB for us.
I'm not convinced he's all that good a centre back even when he is fit.
His fitness is more of a concern than his ability. If he stays injury free I would be happy with him joining.
Agreed, more of a concern but I'd still have a concern with his defensive capabilities. I'll probably be indifferent should this go through.
I am also unsure if we need a centre back that will hamper the development of both Jones and Smalling. Evans will be the main centre back and I think it is time that Jones or Smalling are given a proper run out- of course we will have four injury prone centre backs though.
Well the problem as you say, is the injury proneness of our existing options. Evans, Jones and Smalling...That doesnt fill me with any confidence whatsoever, especially given that the most experienced amongst them (Evans) is also the most injury prone of them. IMO we definitely need an experienced CB. These 3 will not be enough, even without having European fixtures this season.
Fitness aside, besides those first six months and his flashy goals, I don't even think he's that good.
Wouldn't be unhappy or happy at this signing if it does go through. Some necessary reinforcement to our CB area, although not an exceptional one. Not sure we need a world class defender though. The main thing we should be looking at is cover rather than spending big on a WC CB.
If we can't get Miranda or someone else more senior and successful, he would be better than going into next season with Evans as our only well experienced center back.
I expect this will go through before the week's end. Early next week at latest. Just my gut feeling.
So if he has a year on his contract, why are all the reports of a fee at his max value of £9-10 million? He should be half of that
We have been buying unknown and second tier players lately and last year we got found out. Now it´s time to get the wallet out and buy first class players! Just get Hummel stop this Vermaelen crap..
Evra going away makes this transfer a little bit more sensible. Just a bit.
only another 55 days of hoping this doesn't happen 
Yeah we would need cover at left back. And considering the 'specialist' nature of that position it would make sense to have a player who can play another position to give them a better chance of playing. Vermaelen or Blind are two that spring to mind.
Not sure why we are selling Evra to Juve if they won't sell us Vidal.
Because Evra probably wants away, and Juve are probably one of the only clubs offering us money for him. After everything Evras done for us, it wouldn't be fair to not let him go to a decent club if he wants to be first choice.
Because the world doesn't work like that?
"You won't sell us your star man? Well forget everything, ever. juve."
Why did he sign a new contract then? And why would we care about 2 million euros if it would leave us without a LB backup?
Well, he agreed to stay one more year, a few weeks before that he stated that he would think about his future.
So I don't see where the idea that he wants to leave now comes from.
If Evra leave then I think we would need a fullback and not an injury prone CB
If Evra wasn't keen on staying too why did everyone including ManUtd report that he agreed to the extension?
I can't believe that he suddenly changed his mind because he's scared of not playing anymore, because of Luke Shaw.
If we have a talented LB like Fabio he doesn't get enough playing time to develop to his potential and if we sign someone like Büttner again we would moan about their performances. So I'd rather take a CB for that, although I don't really rate Vermaelen.
What happened to the Vertonghen rumours? He'd be ideal, apart from the Levy part.
If it's going to happen then just make it happen, put us out of our misery.
If he's this seasons Fellaini (last name on the list) then I really hope one of Hummels, Mangala or even Vlaar are available.
If he's this seasons Fellaini (last name on the list) then I really hope one of Hummels, Mangala or even Vlaar are available.
Fabio was injury prone and Buttner was shite. Not every full back cover turned out like those two. P Neville, Wes Brown and Silvestre proved useful to have around.
Utility players?
We could play Phil Jones there...
Like I said, either the talented man, who won't play enough, the ones who are just not PL quality like Büttner or you get really lucky and find a good left-back who's happy to sit on the bench, which is pretty rare, so I'd take the left-footed CB with LB experience.
Contract extensions will get reported regardless of what happens thereafter. We exercised our extension option to simply ensure Evra didnt move on a free. Basically Evra didnt have a choice whether he wanted to extend or not, it was the option for the club. For what its worth, Evra might never have wanted to stay on at any point and not actually changed his mind.
He might not, I know how these options work, but the way it was reported and after Evra's statements I thought he was keen on staying too.
So A Rodreguiz fits in that category? There is no point spending all that money on sure to buy a back up with the intention of him competiting with him. Its like buying two world class keepers. Vermaelen will suit us fine.
What we need is someone solid who can play in multiple roles if possible. I was thinking more of Santon or the young Nicola Murru to be honest who can play both RB and LB. We do not need an injury prone player that's for sure
I'd like us to buy Darmian, he can play at RB, CB and LB. A good idea actually, since we could do with a Rafael cover. Now is to find someone cheap who is good enough and wouldn't mind sitting on the bench.
Is that an issue through? I mean look at United's recent history. Phil Nev and OShea were clearly not regular first team players however they both played more then 250+ games with us and they would have played more if the club hasn't decided to sell them. Players get injured or need rest and our record in terms of injuries isn't very good. A player who can play multiple roles will definately get games at OT.
I've decided I dont have to care that much about this potential transfer as its unlikely to happen simply because knowing Vermaelen he will fracture his pelvis taking a piss or something stupid the day before the medical.
Both players from our youth academy though, they formed to utility players over the time, it's different to signing someone who knows that he won't be first choice.
Thomas Vermaelen is set to meet with Arsenal to finalise his future, with Manchester United poised to step up their interest.
United are understood to be very keen on the 28-year-old defender, who has one year left on his contract at the Emirates Stadium.
Vermaelen is Arsenal captain, but was limited to just seven league starts last season with Arsene Wenger preferring a centre-back pairing of Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker.
Arsenal are keen to offer Vermaelen fresh terms, but the player is now set for talks and seems likely to seek a move away from the club he joined from Ajax in 2009.
Now following Belgium's departure from the World Cup finals, Vermaelen is turning his attention to his future.
"I really do not know where I will play, Arsenal or elsewhere next season," he is quoted by the Evening Standard.
"All my attention went to the World Cup. I will see when I talk with Arsenal."
http://www.teamtalk.com/manchester-...r-news-Thomas-Vermaelen-set-for-Arsenal-talks
United are understood to be very keen on the 28-year-old defender, who has one year left on his contract at the Emirates Stadium.
Vermaelen is Arsenal captain, but was limited to just seven league starts last season with Arsene Wenger preferring a centre-back pairing of Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker.
Arsenal are keen to offer Vermaelen fresh terms, but the player is now set for talks and seems likely to seek a move away from the club he joined from Ajax in 2009.
Now following Belgium's departure from the World Cup finals, Vermaelen is turning his attention to his future.
"I really do not know where I will play, Arsenal or elsewhere next season," he is quoted by the Evening Standard.
"All my attention went to the World Cup. I will see when I talk with Arsenal."
http://www.teamtalk.com/manchester-...r-news-Thomas-Vermaelen-set-for-Arsenal-talks
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