Thomas Vermaelen: "I Will Stay at Arsenal Forever"

Speaking to the Daily Mirror ahead of Belgium's June 2 friendly against England, Arsenal central defender Thomas Vermaelen pledged his future to the north London club.

"I will stay at Arsenal forever," Vermaelen said. "There will be no transfer for me."

"I love London. I’ve got a house there, I’m happy there and I don’t see any reason to ever leave the club."

The 27-year-old Belgian team captain has been struggling with a groin injury since the end of the Premier League season, but told Sky Sports News that he is "doing everything to get fit to play" against the Three Lions, noting that a friendly at Wembley surpasses the usual definition of an exhibition.

The groin knock is the latest in what has been a decidedly injury-plagued Gunners career for Vermaelen. He famously missed almost the entire 2010-11 season while dealing with a debilitating Achilles problem.

The most recent campaign saw Vermaelen suffer an injury to his left ankle in August, which required surgery. Vermaelen came back to full fitness, however, and appeared in 29 league matches for Arsenal, scoring six goals.

It was during his convalescence period that he first endeared himself to Arsenal fans, signing a contract extension in October that will keep him in north London until 2015.

Arsene Wenger had hailed Vermaelen's loyalty in pledging his future to the club during one of its most difficult passages, telling Arsenal's official website that the deal sent "a different message" following a turbulent run of months.

Vermaelen's extension came during Arsenal's most difficult period of the season, when the Gunners were fighting to overcome a disastrous start that had seen them take just four points from their first five league matches, miring them in the dregs of the Premiership table.

"It gives a different message," Wenger said then. "It looked like an exodus [in the summer] with everyone leaving, but we are a happy Club.
 
"We did not have the start to the season we wanted but inside the atmosphere at the Club is very solid, very united and very positive. We want to turn results around and the fact that players are extending their contracts at this point is positive for us."

That positive feeling can only have been reinforced following Vermaelen's proclamation.

The Belgian is the latest Arsenal star to pledge his future to the squad, following Jack Wilshere, widely regarded as the Gunners' brightest young talent, telling The Guardian last November that he "loved" the club and "wanted to be a part of its future."