Manchester United and Barcelona go head to head for Arsenal Defender

Arsenal captain Thomas Vermaelen is out of favour at the Emirates with manager Arsene Wenger choosing to keep the Belgian on the bench by playing the likes of Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny in the centre-back positions.

?Manchester United were already interested in signing the player but it has only been talks so far and as it stands Barcelona are looking to capitalize on the hiccup having already bid £10 million for the 28-year-old.

Barcelona are looking to sign Vermaelen after their pursuit of Marquinhos fell apart. If the deal goes through the Arsenal captain will partner latest signing £16 million man Jeremy Mathieu in the defensive line-up.

He has only a year left on his contract with no intentions to stay in London after being comfortably pushed out of the pecking order.

With Louis van Gaal looking for Borussia Dortmund defender Mats Hummels as a possible replacement for Nemanja Vidic, Barcelona seem like the favourites to land the Belgian international.