Vermaelen wants Wenger to stay

Arsenal captain Thomas Vermaelen is eager for manager Arsene Wenger to sign a new contract at the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners boss, 64, has yet to sign the offer of a new contract extension past the end of the season, but having just completed 1,000 matches in charge is expected to stay on in north London.

Arsenal have not won a trophy since 2005 but have enjoyed one of their most successful seasons in some time this term, making the semi-finals of the FA Cup and maintaining a push for the Barclays Premier League title, although those hopes look to have been ended by the 6-0 defeat to Chelsea 11 days ago.

But defender Vermaelen maintains Wenger, who joined the Gunners in 1996, is still the man to take the club forward and wants the Frenchman to extend his spell at the helm.

"Everybody wants him to stay as long as he can," he told the Daily Mirror. "He's been incredible what he's done for this club, and for the players as well. We would be really happy for him signing on for a few more years.

"The spirit is unbelievable in the team. We've worked a lot on our team shape and everybody knows their role in the team, everybody's working for each other and that's because there is a great team spirit. That's the great improvement for us this season.

"It is just the hunger in the team. Of course it was there before but the spirit is great and you can see us fighting for each other really hard."