Vermaelen off to Arsenal

Belgian defender Thomas Vermaelen was Thursday set to have a medical at Arsenal as he bids to complete a move to the Gunners from Dutch side Ajax.

Vermaelen told the Gazet van Antwerpen newspaper he was on the way to sign a four-year deal with the Gunners.

“Everything is set up for the best days of my life. Arsenal are a fantastic club with a coach who backs the beautiful game. I am going to go up against the best strikers in the world but that doesn’t scare me,” he insisted.

“I will head off Thursday to London for the medical and sign my contract assuming all goes off as planned.”

Media reports say Arsenal and Ajax have agreed a fee of around 13 million euros. for the 23-year-old who has spent six years with Ajax.