da casino： According to Sport (via Sport Witness), Southampton have entered the race to sign former Barcelona and Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen.
What’s the Story?
da brdice： Reports in Spain have suggested that Southampton are interested in signing Thomas Vermaelen from Barcelona, with Watford also thought to be keeping watch. Sport maintains that new Barca boss Ernesto Valverde is yet to make a decision on the Belgian’s future and will even allow him to train with the first team squad during pre-season. However, the club do want to move the 31-year-old on and the Premier League seems his likely destination.
How good was Vermaelen last season?
It is hard to judge a defender who plays just 13 games all season, especially when six of those appearances have been as a late substitute and are divided between two teams, Barcelona and Roma. Vermaelen is far from the player he once was. However, he still possess a level-headedness and maturity that are so vital when a team is under pressure.
And despite having another campaign plagued with injuries, the Belgian still showed glimpses of the class that made him such a favourite with Arsenal fans and pundits in England alike.
Would Vermaelen be a good fit for Southampton?
This is an interesting one. While there is no doubt that Southampton need defensive reinforcements, it would seem like a bizarre move from a club who have always favoured young, ambitious talent in the past.
You only have to look at the signing of Martin Caceres last season to see that signing an injury-prone elder statesman rarely pays off.
While Vermaelen has Premier League and international experience in abundance, it would seem unlikely that the club would target a man with such a dreadful injury record.