Posted on October 15, 2013 by Arsenal FANS Africa/The Gooners

Thomas Vermaelen admits he could leave Arsenal in January

 
Tuesday 15 Oct 2013 7:39 am
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Vermaelen: I'm considering Arsenal exit
Thomas Vermaelen is considering quitting Arsenal (Picture: Getty)

Thomas Vermaelen has admitted he is considering leaving Arsenal in the next transfer window.

Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny have become Gunners boss Arsene Wenger’s preferred two in the centre of defence after a back injury disrupted Vermaelen’s start to the season. He has made just two appearances for the north Londoners this term – and only one of those was a start, in the Capital One Cup.

The 27-year-old will start for Belgium in their final World Cup qualifier at home to Wales tonight. However, coach Marc Wilmots has an embarrassment of riches at centre-back, with the likes of Manchester City’s Vincent Kompany, Tottenham’s Jan Vertonghen and Bayern Munich’s Daniel van Buyten also to choose from.

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Vermaelen is, therefore, keen to get as much football first-team football at club level to stake his claim for a World Cup finals starting berth, meaning he could wave goodbye to Arsenal.

Speaking ahead of his already-qualified country’s Group A clash, the former Ajax man said of his dilemma: ‘I’ll have to think about that when it’s necessary. January is still a few months ahead.

Vermaelen struggled with injury early in the season (Picture: AFP/Getty)
Vermaelen struggled with injury early in the season (Picture: AFP/Getty)

‘Of course, never playing will not be the ideal situation for me to go to the World Cup, that’s for sure. People ask me if I panic because I’m not playing a lot but I’m not.

‘I have spoken to the manager but it will remain private between us. Things can happen in a split second and change my situation. That can happen tomorrow or next weekend. In that case, we will speak differently in January. I have to be ready for that.’

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About Arsenal FANS Africa/The Gooners

Arsenal:- 'Royal Arsenal' formed in Woolwich Arsenal Player DatabaseFeaturing EVERY Arsenal player A small group of Scots sowed the seed which would grow into one of the most famous names in football. David Danskin, from Kirkcaldy in Fife, worked at the Arsenal munitions factory in Woolwich. The Scot, a football man in an area dominated by rugby and cricket, founded a team with the help of three friends, Elijah Watkins, John Humble and Richard Pearce. The arrival in Woolwich of two Nottingham Forest players, Fred Beardsley and Morris Bates, had spurred Danskin into action. Word got around and 15 men came forward, each prepared to pay sixpence to help start up a club. Danskin added another three shillings himself and the club bought a football. It was October 1886. The club arranged its first game for December 1886 but had no name, no kit and nowhere to play. Danskin and company were referred to as Dial Square - after one of the factory's workshops - and crossed the Thames to play Eastern Wanderers on the Isle of Dogs. Dial Square won 6-0 and met in the Royal Oak pub, next to Woolwich Arsenal station, on Christmas Day 1886. Beardsley solved the kit problem by asking his contacts at Nottingham Forest to help. They duly sent a complete set of red shirts. And as they sat in the Royal Oak, the founding fathers chose a new name. They combined the name of the pub with their place of work - Royal Arsenal. It was far grander than 'Dial Square' and would be the club's name until 1891 when Woolwich Arsenal was formally adopted. At the time the 15 men who had pooled their resources to buy a football wanted little more than a means of exercise and, no doubt, the social activity which accompanied it. Little did they know what they had started.
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