Arsenal desire to complete the £10 million signing of Ajax defender Thomas Vermaelen by the end of the week, with the Belgian defender due to go through a medical checkup at the Emirates Stadium tomorrow.

“On Friday I’ll take flight to London to have my medical checkup. After that I hope to put pen to paper,” said Vermaelen, who can play as either a centre or left-back. “I feel so proud, Arsenal is a wonderful club and one that, as a child, I enjoyed watching play. Arsene Wenger represents nice, attacking football and dares to work with young gifts. That appeals to me tremendously.

“Not that that tipped the scales though. When a club like Arsenal stands at your door, and then you just go. Once I get to the Emirates Stadium on Friday I will be hugely impressed. “A lot of will change in my life. Next season I will come up against the most skillful strikers in the world. I’m not scared by that, I will give all my body can give. This is among the most beautiful days of my life.”

Vermaelen, who is the captain of Ajax, moved to the Dutch league in 2004 and has made over 100 appearings for the club. Wenger has prioritised the need to improve Arsenal’s defence, although his plans will be impacted by whether AC Milan take up the option to buy Philippe Senderos after a year-long loan at the San Siro.

“As far as I am concerned I would like to stay in Milan because I don’t think that there is a place for me at Arsenal,” said Senderos.