Barcelona have moved to strengthen their defence by agreeing to sign the Belgium centre-back Thomas Vermaelen from Arsenal on a five-year contract. Barça did not publish any financial details on their website but the fee is understood to be in the region of £15m.

The 28-year-old defender joined Arsenal in 2009 after a nine-year stint at Ajax and quickly became a fans’ favourite while also being promoted to club captain. Vermaelen’s career has been hampered by injury and he made only 21 appearances in the 2013-14 season after falling behind Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker in the pecking order.

Barça’s defence was a weak point last season, when they failed to win major silverware for the first time in six years, and their coach, Gerardo Martino, was replaced by the former Barcelona and Spain midfielder Luis Enrique.

Vermaelen will compete for a place with Gerard Piqué, the Frenchman Jeremy Mathieu, who joined last month from Valencia, and the Barça academy graduate Marc Bartra.

Javier Mascherano has mostly played in central defence since joining Barcelona from Liverpool in 2010 but after his performances in midfield for Argentina at the World Cup he is widely expected to feature there for the club next term. Barça start the Spanish campaign, when they will be chasing a fifth title in seven years, at home to Elche on 24 August.

“Everyone at Arsenal would like to thank Thomas for his contribution during his time at the club and wish him well for the future,” read an Arsenal statement.

Not bad. They desperatly need a CB.

Have Messi, Neymar and at one point Sanchez in your team, and go and spend £75m on a racist cannibal.

Have Pique as your only senior centreback, and go and spend £30m on Arsenal's third choice CB and a 30 year old who isn't really a centreback.

#Barcalogic

so they bought mathieu to leave him on the bench I guess ... instead of rotating with young ( future ) players ? .... awesome.

Mathieu. l-o-l

Barça have now signed two good CBs, but no great ones.

....but let's face it - we're not in a golden age of CBs. In fact I can't remember when there were ever so few. Good kids coming though.

Very true. Even in FIFA I don't know who to get.

No idea about FIFA, but on FM Eder Balanta is probably the best young CB in terms of potential. Doria's very good too.

Balanta plays for my club
That guy is one of the best I've ever seen ! He's amazing

Even Man U could use some CBs I think.

Even Man U? I'd say ESPECIALLY . Now that Vidic and Ferdinand are gone we're left with just Evans, Jones and Smalling. Evans is good, but Jones and Smalling both have question marks over them. We're meant to want Hummels, but I don't think there's a chance he'd come to us.

Hector Moreno.

But he has a broken shin bone.