Captain Vermaelen looks set for a summer departure.
As Napoli continue to show interest in Arsenal club captain Thomas Vermaelen the defender has admitted that his future in north London is uncertain.
The Belgium international has found himself on the periphery of the first team this season due to manager Arsene Wenger’s preferred partnership of Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker in central defence.
This lack of opportunities has led the 28-year-old to reconsider his future at the Emirates Stadium and he could be looking to leave the Gunners in the summer.
“I do occasionally have the chance to play, but you must remember that the players in front of me are incredibly fit and play almost all the time,” Vermaelen told Het Nieuwsblad.
“Of course I was hoping for more playing time.
“I do not know [whether I will sign a new contract].
“We’ll see at the end of the season.”
Vermaelen has been with the Premier League side since a £10m transfer from Ajax in 2009, before being promoted to skipper in 2012 when Robin van Persie left for Manchester United.
However, this campaign has been disappointing for the Belgian in terms of playing time, managing just 15 appearances (eight starts) in all competitions.
Serie A side Napoli have been interested in signing the centre-back for some time, although the Red Devils have also become involved in the hunt in recent times.
United are set for a huge reshuffle in their squad this summer after a poor first year in charge for manager David Moyes and with Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand expected to leave Old Trafford, central defence is a priority.
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