Vertonghen Want’s Arsenal, But Do Arsenal Want / Need Him?

Tottenham target Jan Vertonghen has revealed his interest in signing for rivals Arsenal, according to the Daily Mail, but do the Gunners want or even need him?

The 24-year-old will have just one-year left on his contract this summer, and the signals are he won’t be signing an extension. The Mail report that both Tottenham and Newcastle have shown interest in the Ajax centre back, who is likely to be sold for around £10m.

However, it seems the Belgian stopper has his eyes on Tottenham’s North London rivals Arsenal, claiming he would gladly move to the Emirates and join what he called a “magnificent” club.

Vertonghen also revealed he was in the stands during the Gunners 3-0 win over AC Milan, after being invited by international team-mate Thomas Vermaelen. Here’s what the player is quoted as saying in the Mail:

‘Arsenal are a magnificent club and I hear a lot of good things about English football. If a club of Arsenal’s calibre can reach agreement with Ajax, then I will gladly go over.

‘I have instructed my agent carefully. ‘He knows which clubs I want to join, and Arsenal are one of them.’

‘I haven’t signed anything with them yet. But I went to watch them against Milan, together with my Ajax teammate Siem de Jong, after Vermaelen invited us. We had a few days off and profited from them.’

What a big flirt. He clearly want’s a move to the Emirates and Vermaelen is doing his bit to make it happen, but the question is; Do Arsenal want or even need him?

Vertonghen plays either centre back or left back. Arsenal currently have three central defenders in vice-captain Thomas Vermaelen, the ever-imporving Laurent Koscielny and German international Per Mertesacker. It would be tough for the Ajax man to displaced any of those three.

Left back is still an area i feel Arsenal need to improve upon, but Arsene Wenger seems to have a lot of faith in Kieran Gibbs, and the unfortunate Andre Santos saw his season interrupted by a serious ankle injury, but was only signed in the summer. So with two solid left backs on his books, Wenger is unlikely to bring in a third player to compete for just one place.

Unless somebody is sold this summer, i cant see where Vertonghen would fit in at the Emirates. He wouldn’t join just to be a utility cover player, and i don’t see him being good enough to command a first team place at centre back. I DO think he would be good enough to play at left back, but it would be very un-Wenger like to bring in a player and ‘block’ Gibbs’s development and Santos hasn’t been given a fair crack at it yet.

Despite his wish to join Arsenal, i can see Vertonghen moving to Tottenham instead. They certainly need a centre back. A long term replacement for King is desperately needed, and Dawson seems to be picking up serious injuries on a regular basis. Kaboul has been outstanding this season so a long-term partner for him is required, and Jan might be the man.

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