Thomas Vermaelen shone at Arsenal but could he make the same impact at Aston Villa?
Aston Villa could have one of the oldest centre-back pairings in the Championship this season. That is, if they manage to conclude an eyebrow-raising deal to bring Thomas Vermaelen back to England.
According to Spanish newspaper AS (30th August, page 12), the Belgian international is set to be shipped out by Barcelona this summer after three injury-stricken seasons and he has offers from both Villa and Crystal Palace.
A few years ago, Thomas Vermaelen and John Terry could have formed a Premier League winning partnership. However, the prospect of the 31-year-old joining the former England captain at Villa Park will hardly be greeted by universal acclaim by supporters.
Vermaelen’s ability has never been in question but his fitness most definitely is. Since swapping Arsenal for the Camp Nou in the summer of 2014, Vermaelen has started just seven La Liga games and managed a further four in a season-long loan at Roma in 2016/17.
Therefore, it’s little surprise that Barca are ready to part company with the one-time Ajax prospect this summer. However, with a return to England on the cards, potential suitors should be reminded that they will not necessarily be getting the stylish, goalscoring centre-back who shone at Arsenal.
If Vermaelen was able to stave off the injuries, he could be one of the finest defenders to have ever plied his trade in the English championship. That is an almighty ‘if’, however, and he is likely to be on wages that will push Villa’s budget to the limit.
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