Transfer Centre

Tom Cleverley or Chris Smalling to be part of Thomas Vermaelen deal?

By Joe Fish, Reporter | 17 June 2014

Arsenal will reportedly ask for either Tom Cleverley or Chris Smalling as a makeweight in any deal which sees captain Thomas Vermaelen leave for Manchester United.

Arsenal will reportedly ask for either Tom Cleverley or Chris Smalling in exchange as part of the deal that will see Thomas Vermaelen leave for Manchester United.

The Belgian defender is believed to have agreed an estimated £100,000-per-week contract to join the Louis van Gaal revolution at Old Trafford this summer.

A fee with the Gunners has yet to be agreed for his services, although Arsenal are seemingly prepared to let their captain, who started only seven Premier League games last season, leave as he enters the final year of his contract.

They will, though, according to The Mirror, demand either Cleverley or Smalling, both of whom were fringe players at United last season and face uncertain futures, as a makeweight in a £10m transfer.

Arsene Wenger is thought to be a big fan of the much-criticised Cleverley, while Smalling would replace Vermaelen as defensive competition for first-choice pairing Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker.