Barca are also keen on signing Vermaelen.
Arsenal captain Thomas Vermaelen is a transfer target for Manchester United, but they now face competition from FC Barcelona in the pursuit of the Belgian, according to Spanish daily Mundo Deportivo.
The future of the 28-year-old at the Emirates Stadium has been in doubt for some time as Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker have become the preferred central defensive partnership under manager Arsene Wenger.
United viewed Vermaelen as the ideal purchase to help ease their defensive woes, with things a little light at the back at Old Trafford following the departure of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic this summer.
The fact that the Belgium international can also play at left-back is a bonus for the Red Devils as well, as they have also lost Patrice Evra to Juventus this month.
However, it’s this versatility that has also attracted Barca, who are looking for a cheaper alternative to another target Marquinhos of Paris Saint-Germain – who is valued at around £32m.
The Catalans have also looked into signing Borussia Dortmund’s Mats Hummels and Jan Vertonghen of Tottenham Hotspur, but both of those men are priced too highly for the Spanish giants.
Wenger seems resigned to losing his skipper as well and is already looking into alternatives to Vermaelen in his squad.
Currently Manchester City youngster Matija Nastasic seems to be the No.1 target for the Frenchman as competition for Koscielny and Mertesacker.
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