Arsene Wenger confirmed that Louis van Gaal is genuinely interested in signing Thomas Vermaelen from Arsenal but the French manager revealed that he is only considering offloading the Belgium defender to a foreign club.

Considering that Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra have made their way out of Old Trafford, it comes as no surprise that Louis van Gaal is searching around in the transfer market for players that can reinforce the defensive division of Manchester United and Thomas Vermaelen is one of his targets but it seems highly unlikely that a transfer involving both clubs will happen.

Wenger told reporters: “Manchester United is part of the group of bidders. He could leave. We have offers from abroad and ideally I would rather sell him to a club abroad. We’re in a position where it’s difficult to stand in his way.”

Barcelona is another club interested in signing the veteran defender with an offer of £10 million already being launched by the Spanish side as they are hoping to secure the services of Vermaelen before the transfer window concludes.

Vermaelen sustained a hamstring injury which has left him unable to train with his teammates at the Emirates Stadium but his days at the Premier League are reaching its end after only being able to make 14 league appearances in the previous season, he has fallen behind the pecking order of Arsenal as he has had to stay on the sidelines of the club for the majority of the past season. Wenger’s preferred options at the heart of the defence is Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny which leaves Vermaelen having to settle with a substitute role.