Thomas Vermaelen reveals honest verdict on Mikel Arteta after another Arsenal trophyless season

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Arsenal are preparing for their final game of the season at Southampton.

It is not the finish that Mikel Arteta would have been hoping for as the Gunners are set to finish 12 points behind Premier League champions Liverpool.

Southampton could appoint Will Still in time for the clash with Arsenal, who need a point to guarantee a second place finish.

William Saliba is ruled out with a hamstring injury in yet another injury blow this season and former Arsenal captain Thomas Vermaelen has given his verdict on the side following their disappointing campaign.

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Thomas Vermaelen gives verdict on Mikel Arteta

As per Sportskeeda, Vermaelen has been speaking to GOAL about his verdict on another trophyless season for his former club.

The former Gunners defender has expressed his disappointment but has backed Arteta and his side to deliver next season.

Vermaelen stated: “He’s so close to winning trophies and that doesn’t mean as an Arsenal fan or the team itself would be very disappointed how he went towards the end of the season because they want to lift trophies, especially after last season already where we were very close on beating Manchester City and now City dropping,

“I expected Arsenal to be there. Unfortunately, it wasn’t. That doesn’t mean everything is going wrong and the job the players and the manager and the staff are doing is not going well.

“So I still strongly believe in that group and in the club itself that again next year it could be challenging again. I feel like Arsenal is now year in, year out challenging for trophies and that’s where you want to be and then it’s a matter of just taking it over the line and that’s the next step that Arsenal hopefully can make very soon.”

Thomas Vermaelen’s Arsenal career

Vermaelen has praised Arteta’s leadership in the past and is another player to explain how they could see his qualities as a coach even when he was still playing under Arsene Wenger.

The Belgian defender won the 2014 FA Cup alongside the Gunners’ boss and spent five years at the Emirates Stadium before moving to Barcelona.

He quickly became a fan favourite in North London after a blistering start to his Arsenal career by scoring on his debut at Goodison Park in a victory over Everton.

Vermaelen is now a fan of Saliba and will be hoping that the French defender can commit his future to the club and help end their five-year trophy drought next campaign.