Arsenal eye £7m Ajax captain

Arsenal are looking to continue to add to their squad with the £7m addition of Ajax defender Jan Vertonghen.

The Ajax captain has already informed officials at the Dutch club that he wants to move abroad this summer and Wenger is believed to have moved early to secure the player's signature. The Belgian defender only has a year remaining on his current contract and Ajax boss Frank De Boer may sanction a summer deal to recoup a transfer fee.

The 25-year-old has interested a host of Premier League clubs, including Chelsea and Tottenham, but the Metro reports that Arsenal are to open the bidding with a £7m offer.

Arsenal defender and Vertonghen's national side teammate Thomas Vermaelen is thought to have recommended the Ajax captain to Gunners staff. Arsenal legend Dennis Bergkamp is also on the coaching side at Ajax, where the Belgian defender is highly-rated and the Emirates looks the likely destination for the 25-year-old.

Equally comfortable in defence or midfield, Vertonghen cuts an imposing figure at 6ft 2in and would bring added versatility to the squad in north London.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has already brought in German international Lukas Podolski for next season and a Vertonghen deal would set the Gunners up for a tilt at the title in the next campaign.