Ahead of the summer transfer window Thomas Vermaelen’s representative, Alex Kroes, has begun the tried-and-tested tactic of bigging up his client to anyone who happens to call him.
It’s widely expected that the Belgian centre-back will quit Arsenal this summer in search of regular playing time after falling down the pecking order at the Emirates over the course of the last two seasons.
Eager to start the name-dropping early, Kroes has made clear that the Gunners captain isn’t short of suitors but insists his man will wait until after the World Cup to assess his options before making a firm decision on his future.
Speaking to Calciomercatoweb.com, Kroes touched on interest from Rafael Benitez’s Napoli.
“Yes Napoli have been on the player and have stepped forward,” he told the Italian transfer scallywags.
“But just as the Neapolitans have, other clubs have shown their interest and not just Italian clubs. You cannot say, though, that the player is close to a transfer to Napoli.
“I repeat – wait until after the World Cup, where Vermaelen is going to do his best, then we will face any kind of discourse for his future.”
Arseblog News is tempted to give Alex a call to see what he has to say about the interest from Harchester United. Rumour has it they’re ready to spend big but the Belgian might have his head turned by a move to China where Team Shaolin are supposedly throwing around cash as silly as their overhead kicks.
We’ve also heard on the grapevine that Michael Caine and Pele have been on the blower with Vermaelen open to strutting his stuff in front of Sylvester Stallone. Exciting times ahead for TV5.
Please stay verminator
I have to say the semi-racist stereotype of Chinese is rather uncalled for (silly overhead kicks? perhaps you meant taikwando? which is from Korea). I can understand where you’re coming from, but it comes off almost like an ignorant Englishman thinking he knows foreign cultures. Let the down-votes commence…
Someone’s obviously never seen Shaolin Soccer.. try clicking the link.
(by the way shouldn’t it be their overhead kicks?)
To get it out there I don’t think he was doing anything but referencing the movie “Shaolin Soccer,” which he linked to. I imagine he was making a joke about the team from the film recruiting him, where they do indeed perform silly overhead kicks, and countless other absurd moves. Not that he was implying that ALL Chinese people/players perform silly overhead kicks.
BREAKING NEWS, that team has just recruited David Moyse, they needed a genius to show them how to play proper
@stiff upper lip
As JB points out (incidentally thank you for the grammatical correction)…watch the link.
Then thumb your own comment down…
Good day.
Aren’t you Irish, Blogs?
Blogs is yes.
Sorry dog! Didn’t realise I was conversing with you.
It’s a reference to the Shaolin kickers (click on the link) rather than a racial stereotype
funny you said “comes off as an ignorant englishman” since hes irish lol. moron cant take a joke in the right way. and like everyones say its in reference to the film not the country you sensitive drip.
sadly it’s also spelled tae kwon do, because it’s not kwon do from thailand. Pronounce “TEH.” Please, all you self-righteous white people who are convinced on how to pronounce asian languages give it a rest. No one really cares if you get it wrong, but don’t insist that you’re an expert while mangling the language….
Stay verminator 🙁
Good luck to him. He’s been a wonderful professional this season and I hope he gets to show the talent he clearly has at another top European club.
Why so sentimental? I hope he gets shut out at the club and can’t leave and then finds the determination to take his defending to another level and succeed at Arsenal, like the true winner he is. There is no other third choice CB id rather have.
I wouldn’t exactly “shut him out” of the club, but I do think we need to be harder on players who want playing time.
First and foremost we need to prepare our squad. That should mean Vermaelen will be have to stay if we don’t find a suitable replacement.
Hate to say it but this morning I’m actually envious of Man United. Look at the decisive way they have dealt with Moyes. He was not a rubbish manager, but he simply was not up to the job of managing one of the biggest clubs in the world. So they sacked him. Simple. We are in exactly the same position, but our hopeless American owner is desperate to hand a new contract to another under-performing boss. What a shame. The frustrating thing is that Jurgen Klopp could well find himself at Old Trafford and not Ashburton Grove, where he really… Read more »
Only correct point you made was Moyes is not a rubbish manager, he isnt, Fergie got out before the envitable shit storm hit the Old Trafford pitch.
This season has been very successful, World Class player in Ozil, Ramsey into a World Class player, Champions League top 4, and a FA Cup. (The last two have not occurred, but will happen with Ramzil back).
Klopp does not have the class to manage Arsenal yet, but he is getting there.
too late to add Koscienly into a world class defender?
+ Verminator, you have a future here bro!
“This season has been very successful.” Hello? At the half-way stage this season, we were 4 points clear at the top. Then we enacted our usual spring collapse, picking up less than half the points available over the last dozen or so matches. And now were are in a tooth-and-nail battle with Everton to secure fourth place. Please explain to me by what criteria does this constitute a successful season? It’s because of mindless plankton like you, Serge, that the club feel confident in backing Wenger with new contracts despite his endless failures. We are an under-performing embarrassment which can… Read more »
I cant stand you fat gooner anymore. Absolutely ANY excuse you can find to have a go at wenger. In all seriousness why dont you fuck off and support someone else? Sick of your constant pessimism.
You seem like the frail kinda fair weather fan thatll possibly do well at Man U next year
i use the word “support” liberally…
*least 3 seasons*
-SACK WENGER, HE CANT WIN US ANYTHING. WE NEED A TROPHY, ANYTHING, C.O.CUP SOEMTHING….
*at the end of this season*
-THIS SEASON IS NOT A SUCCESS. I DONT CARE THAT WE HAVE WON A TROPHY, THIS SEASON HAS BEEN A DISGRACE
underperforming compared to what exactly? To pool whose owners pump in millions and who will be struggling next year to get to CL like they were last year? Oh wait, they were not even competing! Or compared with utd who have maybe 50% more money and still have to pay 200k+ pw to convince any half-decent player to come? Do you see their future particularly brightly? But yes, if you prefer 5 years of mid-table mediocrity and then one lucky title cause they are not in cl like pool then yes, then Arsene is underperforming. While he is not owerperforming… Read more »
Do us a favour. Get lost and apply for the Utd job, Fats.
We will see what stuff you are made of.
I think Fatgooner is scared.
He is scared of Wenger succeeding after what looked like another trophyless year.
If we win the FA Cup the fickle supporters like Fatgooner will have 1 less stick to beat Wenger with.
And by the way: I don’t oppose to change if we can find someone better.
I agree about Moyes not being a rubbish manager but after the smug tosser spent most of the transfer window glowing and beaming about the prospect of Cesc “coming to United”. Then I can’t say I’m sorry he’s gone.
As for TV5 I think he should stay and fight for his place!
I’m sorry, but under Wenger, we have never come even close to the failure of Man Utd this season. I’m pretty sure Moyes would have kept his job if he were fighting with us for the 4th spot this season.
On that point, if we were to sack Wenger, it’d be all of 10 minutes before Ed Woodward gives him a call and offers him the United job. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me with AW’s contract running out, that all of PSG, Real, Barca and United have already made calls to his agent.
Thumb him down till his fat self disappears.
1 thumbdown = 1 lost calorie?
If that were true, he’d weigh minus seven tons by now …
Disagree by all means but personal insults about someones weight is going to far!
“We are in exactly the same position.”
We’re in control of our own Champion’s League destiny and in the FA Cup final. Utd are 7th.
“The frustrating thing is that Jurgen Klopp could well find himself at Old Trafford and not Ashburton Grove, where he really belongs.”
Nope – http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/apr/22/jurgen-klopp-job-manchester-united-moyes-borussia-dortmund
Problem solved – Arsene can continue until 2018 by which point he’ll have taken us back to our rightful spot at the top of the prem league, kept us their for a couple of seasons and final won that champions league medal he deserves (do managers get a medal of some kind? They should). Then he can playfully struggle with that zipper one last time as he takes the coat off to kick back on a beach with a large mojito. Klopp can then take over and continue our glorious run… A man can dream. Hopefully by this time Mourinho… Read more »
Atleast use your real name Piers
Fatgooner, I think your comments are more than little bit boring
Yes, he seems to be lacking a bit the sharpness in the final third.
What’s “exactly the same” about our positions? Manager… Manure: Signed a new manager on a six-year contract last summer. Arsenal: Our manager’s contract is expiring this summer, with no certainty about his future. Position… Manure: Fell 6th places from their position last year. Arsenal: Same as last year – 4th! Form… Manure: Have been underperforming all season, except for an 8-match run or so after Xmas. Arsenal: A force for half the season, been waining since. Cups… Manure: Knocked out of all cups. Reached the semis of the Mickey Mouse cup and the Quarters of the CL. Arsenal: Knocked out… Read more »
I’ll tell you what was exactly the same about us and Man United: we both had managers who underperformed. The best thing to come of this season are the performances of both Merseyside clubs. Liverpool have shattered Wenger’s “financial doping” bullshit argument by being the best team in the Premier League. And Everton are gonna take us all the way for fourth despite surviving on a fraction of our income. The one thing that they both have in common is that they are managed by top-rate managers. Meanwhile, United fucked up because they were led by a guy who was… Read more »
have to agree with Fatty here.. what pool has done is.. they have robbed us and Arsene, all the excuses we had of not challenging in the last few years.. and to add to the misery.. We were comprehensively SMASHED by city, chelsea, pool and everton.. could not even get a win against manure for Gods sake.. take solace in the cup, in our future.. but they (other club fans) will always rub it in our face.. the humiliation.. 8-2, 6-2, 5-0, 6-0… our argument we play good football, we have history, we work on tight budget.. yea always gets… Read more »
Stop the BS fat prophet. If you were a Pool fan you would have demanded for BR’s resignation many moons ago.
poor comment… now we are finacially strong again each transfer window we should go to strength to strength…
Get an out and out striker with the likes of Theo fit etc making runs for Ozil and Ramsey and we should be a goal scoring machine..
I think the Verminator is still a very good player. Agreed the Kos and Per axis seems unbreakable at the moment, but I have the believe if Wenger had been rotating the three guys they it would have been difficult to tell which of the three combos is better.
Hei Fatso what are you smoking man?
Harchester United would be a great move for him, if only to get the chance of having a go on Lynda Block.
Bruce Lee Goalie! Love it
Have some fucking respect, man! It’s fine if you think he should be replaced. But for everything he’s done for the club there’s absolutely no reason to be insulting.
Never seen such a deterioration in a player. The Dutchess left then Bam!! He became shit. Wtf
What a funny website name that.
I hope Verminator stays. At times when we need to go 3 at the back to stop the aerial bombardments, he is so useful.
Fatgooner, isn’t there something in the rules about staying on topic?
In the modern game the fullbacks are expected to sprint up and down the pitch all match long. Bacary Sagna will be 31 this year surely he can’t manage that forever. Love Vermalen but he’s simply not good enough at the whole defending thing. Sell Vermalen, pay Sagna what he wants to become our #3 centreback, rotate the three centrebacks so that everyone is happy and no one gets overplayed and injured. I truly believe Carl Jenkinson is good enough now to be our #1 right back. His 50 yard dribble down the pitch when he came one against West… Read more »
Jenkinson – has no technique – keep him out of the Arsenal top side if you thinking of winning anything next season.
He has enough technique for a full-back imo, he ain’t Dani Alves but then again he ain’t Danny Mills either…I agree that he shouldn’t be first choice RB but that has more to do with him being 21 years old with minimal experience, not some bullshit about his need for technique.
I downvoted because while Jenks is raw I don’t agree with “keep him out of the Arsenal top side if you are thinking of winning anything next season.” He did mostly well last season when called upon. This season he has been a bit frozen out but one can only hope he has been working on deficiencies (including tendencies to push players who are on the ball and near the box in their backs) under Sagna’s guidance in training.
I like Jenkinson and have been defending him for years. But yeah his technique is incredibly limited. He is a good defender, but against a high press, he will struggle.
What’s up with this growing trend of captains leaving the club? Give Diaby the armband next season.
Ramsey for captain !!!!!
Give the arm band to Mert
Lets hope his agent is pissin in the wind and el capitan stays. After all he still has a job to do l e the league.
It’s hard not to get thoroughly fed up with footballers. They ALL clamour to be at successful clubs, yet always expect to play. All successful clubs need deep squads to cope with 60 game seasons yet as soon as a player doesn’t get a starting place they want to be off. Yes, TV5 has missed a lot of games, but he could not argue that the Boss/BFG patnership virtually picked itself from last year on plus we had the guts of a year where TV5 was sidelined with injury. So what does he expect. If he thinks he’d walk into… Read more »
“Yes Napoli have been on the player and have stepped forward,”
Is that not “tapping up” a player? Or is TV5 free to talk to other clubs?
I think it is not – it is forbidden to talk with the player, not with his agent.
I think keeping this squad together for the next season is very important. At the moment we’ve got the best back-up keeper in Fabianski, the best centre-back in Vermaelen and Sagna is up there with the best right backs in Europe. Club should prioritize securing these players future along with a few world class additions.
I don’t see Fabianski staying, he’s looking for a starting berth and I don’t think he’s gonna get past Szczesny again; same with TV5, as much as I want to see him fight for his place I can’t see him doing more of the same next season. But Sagna ought to stay, he’s the most solid right back option we’ve got.
While we are discussing transfer movement… Anyway chance of Cesc coming home next season? It seems barc fans are turning on him.
We have more pressing concerns in other areas of the pitch.
When we didn’t have Ozil, it seemed like a good idea, but now? He’d either need to toughen up to play as one of the CMs, or false-9 it up, I think he could easily do either of those but I don’t see it happening, worth it if it keeps him away from Old Trafford with a proper manager though…they’d actually be good then.
Barca have a transfer ban. They won’t sell a player as good as Cesc (no matter how much the crowd turns against him) if they can’t get a replacement.
And we think the appeal won’t be successful? They’ll be buying players this summer, I’m almost certain.
When was the last time a club with lawyers and money actually had to have something bad happen to them? Juve, I guess but that was matchfixing rather than giving teenagers a bag of money to live in Barcelona.
Looks like his dna is red and white
Anyone know how ignasi miquels played this year and if he played much part in Leicesters promotion? Always thought he’d be a decent player one day
12 appearances in all comps (11 starts, 1 as a sub). Only 6 in the Championship. Incidentally they lost 5 of the games he started. Not really sure what that says.
While on topic of transfers…if verminator, bacary and fabianski are going we will need a rb,cb, go,cdm cos arteta isn’t up to it, a pacey striker who can score proper goals and one world class addition…I love Wenger and iI have supported ararsenal since I was 4 and I am 13 now and I hope he keeps up the good work…and you fatty shit fuck off
*gk
I wanna know what Rambling Pete has to say about TV5 and FatGooner’s piers morgan-esque comments?!
I would like TV5 to stay but the man needs to play. No hard feelings.
I say bring in a young promising CB or give Issac Hayden a chance to play a few games.
I think we all agree TV5 is excellent 3rd choice then why not for once make the player stick to the contract he signed
For me we must strengthen the squad this summer, not sell useful members of the squad. TV5 gives us quality back up and time for our young defenders to develop. Not easy to find international replacement to play 3rd choice.
I think if we could keep Verm, that’d be great, but I don’t understand why we can’t sign Bac, unless he really just wants to go?
If all it takes is going to 3 years…please go to 3 years.
COYG!
Keep Sagna bring back Eboue, the versatile rangy wing back pass master, Vermaelen can go to Monaco or PSG, let Monsieur Wenger find another gem like Kos or perhaps an English lad like Smalling but me thinks Wenger or Bould knows best when it comes to TV5, I am happy to know he is not content to pick up his wages on the bench!
If TV5 stay at Ashburton Groove, he will lift up the EPL throphy next seasson.
You know why Liverpool “shattered” the money myth? The fact that Suarez, Sturridge, and Gerrard didn’t get simultaneous long-term injuries that kept them out for months together. I’m not afraid to say that if Ramsey, Özil, and Walcott (at the least) stayed healthy, we’d be singing a different song right now.
Very diffennt song.
We may still not have won against the big boys but Stoke, Swansea and Everton were winnable if we had Ozil and Ramsey IMO. That’s 8 points which would put us in and amongst the pidgeons at the moment.
We will need a Cback preferably between 23-25 years. This is about the right age, someone with sufficient experience and coming into his best years (considering Koscielny and Metersecker are not young)
Also preferably someone who has a bit of height 6’3 and above (in case Per gets a knock)
The 4th Cback spot is not a concern. Hayden is looking very good for the role and should be eased in on league cup games and pre-season IMO.
RB – Would prefer to see someone already familiar with PL. Coleman should be on the top of our shopping list. Price will be high but maybe justifiable considering the sort of attacking intent he provides and the defensive solidity to make up for Sagna. Another possibility is Debucchy at Newcastle. I’m not so convince with bringing someone in from out side the PL (even if price is attractive) for this position as we will want some minimum guarantee that it will be solid from kick start of season. Not convinced as yet by Jenkinson and Bellerin has barely been… Read more »