By CHARLIE WYETT
The Belgian defender has been frozen out of the starting line-up despite taking over as club captain from Robin van Persie.
It would mean the Gunners taking a £5m hit on a player they bought from Ajax for £10m four years ago.
Vermaelen, 27, has been previously watched by both Barcelona and Manchester United but he is desperate to stay in North London.
He only featured during Arsenal’s terrific run-in once Per Mertesacker was suspended — and then he returned immediately to the subs’ bench.
German Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny are Wenger’s preferred pairing while Arsenal are also keen on Swansea’s £12m-rated Ashley Williams.
Vermaelen signed a new contract in October 2011 — to keep him at the club until 2015 — but has struggled this season.
Wenger’s priority is holding on to in-form French defender Koscielny, who is a target for Bayern Munich.
Other players on their way from Arsenal will be Marouane Chamakh, Andrey Arshavin, Nicklas Bendtner, Park Chu-Young and Andre Santos.
