Barcelona have completed the \u00a315m signing of Arsenal’s Belgium international defender Thomas Vermaelen on a five-year contract.<\/p>\n
The 28-year-old passed a medical on Saturday and Barcelona have now finalised the deal that ties Vermaelen to the club until the end of the 2018-19 season.<\/p>\n
Vermaelen\u00a0joined Arsenal from Ajax for \u00a310m in 2009<\/a>\u00a0and made 150 appearances.<\/p>\n “Thomas Vermaelen is now officially an FC Barcelona player,” a statement read.<\/p>\n “It is an agreement that binds him with the club for the next five seasons.”<\/p>\n Vermaelen, who was to be officially presented at a news conference later on Sunday, had been\u00a0a target for Manchester United<\/a>\u00a0but they ended their interest after refusing Arsenal’s demand to receive a player as part of the deal.<\/p>\n Vermaelen was troubled by a series of injuries and lost his place at centre-back last season as Gunners manager Arsene Wenger favoured Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny.<\/p>\n His form and fitness meant he made only 21 appearances in all competitions last term and Wenger admitted this week that the player needed to move on.<\/p>\n