Thomas Vermaelen wants Arsenal stay

Centre-back Thomas Vermaelen has dismissed speculation that he is keen to leave Arsenal during the January transfer window.

The Belgian has dropped down the pecking order at the Emirates Stadium this season behind Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny.

However, having made his first Premier League start of the campaign during yesterday's 1-0 defeat away at Manchester United, Vermaelen has insisted that he has no plans to force through a move.

"At the moment there is no story. I'm not talking about it. It's now November but any moment things can happen. If they do, I'm ready and I'm not thinking about anything else," the London Evening Standard quotes the 27-year-old as saying.

"I can keep talking about my situation. I've done that with the national team and I keep on reading stories that I want to leave. But that's not the case. I'm still focused on the team at the moment and that's what I want to do. I'm always positive.

"What I have said is that it is not about my situation but what the team do and I'm really happy that we're top of the Premier League. Personally I'm still confident I can play for this club and every chance I get I will do a job for this club."

Vermaelen joined Arsenal from Dutch club Ajax in the summer of 2009.