A natural leader, the Belgian international can play at left-back but plies his trade mainly in the heart of defence where his power and strength are an obstacle for most opposition players.
Although he began his career at Germinal Ekeren in Belgium, in 2000 he joined the academy of Dutch side Ajax.
Learning under some of the best coaches in Europe, Vermaelen made his debut for the Amsterdam side at the age of 18 and made 143 appearances for them as he worked his way up to become club captain.
He made his debut for Belgium in March 2006 and has cemented his place as a regular at international level, while also forging a reputation as one of the brightest, young defensive talents in Europe.
Choosing to join the Gunners in the summer of 2009, Vermaelen signed for an initial fee of €10m and will provide competition for the likes of Kolo Toure and William Gallas in the centre of Arsenal's defence.
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