Thomas Vermaelen "happy" to stay at Arsenal amid transfer speculaton

Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen has suggested that he wants to fight for his place at the Emirates, despite being linked with a summer exit.

The Belgium international, who dropped down manager Arsene Wenger's pecking order towards the latter stages of the season, is thought to be a target for Juventus.

"I'm happy at Arsenal," the Daily Star quotes Vermaelen as saying. "I didn't play much and that was frustrating but things can turn around quickly.

"I was on the bench but I could just as quickly be playing again. I'm working hard to make that happen. These are things that happen in professional football. Arsenal are a great club where there is a lot of competition."

Vermaelen moved to Arsenal from Ajax in 2009.