Vermaelen relishing new partnership

(GSM) – Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen wants to forge a strong partnership with new signing Laurent Koscielny. After seeing him play in training, Vermaelen said the former Lorient player is a “good defender”.

Center-backs Sol Campbell, William Gallas and Mikael Silvestre have all departed and Vermaelen could be paired with Koscielny from the start of the new season.

“It doesn’t matter for me who I play with,” Vermaelen told Arsenal’s official website.

“You know each other’s qualities and you know how the players play.

“I didn’t know Koscielny before but I have seen him in training.

“He is a good defender, he puts pressure on the attackers all the time and he is tight with his marking.

“I have played alongside him a few times in training and that has gone well. He is a good defender.”