The saga surrounding the future of Jan Vertonghen rumbles on with the reports from the British media claiming Arsenal will sell Per Mertesacker if they can complete a deal for the Ajax captain.
Mertesacker has struggled to adapt to the English game since his £8 million arrival from Werder Bremen last summer, and a serious ankle injury sustained against Sunderland in February ruled him out for the rest of the season.
In his absence, Arsenal have gone on to win six of their last seven games to establish their place in the Premier League top four, and Wenger is ready to replace the Germany international with Vertonghen.
The Arsenal boss has been tracking the 24-year-old for the past two seasons with the English media suggesting the two sides are close to agreeing a deal for his transfer.
While there is yet to be confirmation from the Gunners with regards to the defender’s move, Ajax boss Frank de Boer has reluctantly admitted his skipper is likely to leave at the end of the current campaign.
“When there’s a club that he’s already interested in – and it’s really got to be a good club – then he will leave. It’s 100 per cent sure,” he told ESPN Star’s Football Fever podcast.
“I think he’s ready to make a next step. For us, it’s a setback, of course, to miss that kind of quality player.”
Vertonghen has also been attracting the interest of Arsenal’s fierce rivals Tottenham, but the Belgium international has made no secret of his preferred choice of destination.
“Arsenal are a magnificent club and I hear a lot of good things about English football,” he said. “If a club of Arsenal’s calibre can reach an agreement with Ajax, then I will gladly go over.”
