United to ward off interest from Barca in Vermaelen.
Following Barcelona’s £10m bid for Arsenal captain Thomas Vermaelen, Manchester United have decided to offer £15m to win the race, according to the Daily Mail.
The duo have been at loggerheads for the Belgium international for some time, with both desperately seeking to improve their respective back lines.
Barca see Vermaelen as the ideal candidate to replace recently retired skipper Carles Puyol, whereas the Red Devils are coping with the loss of both Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic this summer.
New manager Louis van Gaal has been experimenting with a three-man defence in pre-season, flanked by wing-backs, and with only three centre-backs at Old Trafford currently support is needed.
However, the Gunners do not want to sell Vermaelen to a direct Premier League rival and therefore would prefer the 28-year-old to leave for the Nou Camp, if anywhere.
United won the recent International Champions Cup tournament in the USA, beating rivals Liverpool in the final after also winning against AS Roma, Inter Milan and Real Madrid along the way.
Van Gaal is now ready to make the final changes to his squad ahead of the 2014/15 season and many current players are likely to be axed.
Anderson, Marouane Fellaini, Javier Hernandez and Nani are all expected to be allowed to leave.
READ MORE: Manchester United transfer news.
COMMENTS