Arsenal legend Ray Parlour has claimed that the Gunners will not stop defender Thomas Vermaelen to join Manchester United in the summer. We had earlier reported that the Belgian is set to join the Red Devils after the World Cup but the story has met with confusion among the London club.

Parlour however speaking to Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast show said, “Thomas Vermaelen wants to play football. Last year he couldn’t get in the Arsenal side because Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny were superb at the back. Kieran Gibbs has improved so much he couldn’t even play him at left-back.”

“When you get to a situation where a squad member wants to move, sometimes the player has more sway than the club itself. ” 

“If he wants to play football, and an offer comes in from a club like Manchester United, then it’s hard for the club to say, ‘no, you can’t go there, we want to sell you to a club in Italy or Spain.”

“He was doing the captain’s notes last year in the Arsenal programme but not getting in the team. I can’t see that changing anytime soon. He wants to play first team football.”

The 28 year old featured in only 16 appearances last season and if he leaves, the defender  joins the long list of Arsenal players including Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri, Alex Song and Robin Van Persie who have left the Emirates over the past few seasons.

It looks like a long summer transfer window for the Gunners who recently saw their former fan favourite and captain Cesc Fabregas join arch rivals Chelsea from Barcelona earlier this week.