Barcelona star reveals he was left stunned by Arsenal exit



Thomas Vermaelen has revealed he was stunned Barcelona were interested in signing him



THOMAS VERMAELEN has revealed he was stunned to hear Barcelona were interested in signing him.

 

The former Arsenal captain left the Emirates for the Nou Camp in the summer of 2014 after five seasons with the Gunners.

He made over 150 appearances for Arsene Wenger's side but started just seven games in his last season after struggling with injuries.

Despite his lack of action, the Catalan giants swooped for the Belgium international, and the 29-year-old has revealed he was left surprised by their decision.

 

Vermaelen in action for Arsenal

“I was stunned, to be honest,” he told FourFourTwo. “In the same way that I was surprised when I was given a chance in the first team at Ajax as a youngster and when Arsenal came calling a few years later.

“It’s every footballer’s dream to play for such big clubs, so of course I was excited. My situation at Arsenal helped to speed up the negotiations. 

"I only had one year left on my contract, so it was their last chance to receive a transfer fee. And since I hadn’t played much, they weren’t really reluctant to let me go.”