Barcelona defender Thomas Vermaelen completes loan switch to Roma

Barcelona have agreed to send Thomas Vermaelen on loan to AS Roma for the 2016-2017 campaign, after the Belgium global has fallen out of favour with manager Luis Enrique.

Liverpool face Barcelona on Saturday in the International Champions Cup.

Vermaelen joined Barcelona from the Gunners in 2014, but injuries prevented him from making his debut until the final game of the season.

Liverpool are now being rivalled by AS Roma, as Vermaelen has fallen further down the Barca pecking order after the arrival of Samuel Umtiti.

Pictures published on the Serie A club’s official website on Sunday afternoon confirmed Vermaelen had landed at Rome’s Fiumicino airport.

Roma previously already brought in Alisson, Mario Rui, Juan Jesus, Federico Fazio and Wojciech Szczesny, who played at Arsenal with Vermaelen.

He added: “Vermaelen is a player with experience and quality”.

The Italians have agreed to cover Vermaelen’s wages over the coming campaign, and are understood to have negotiated an option to make the move permanent next summer.