Spalletti: Roma 'working' to sign Barcelona's Vermaelen

Roma manager Luciano Spalletti revealed the club has opened talks about bringing Thomas Vermaelen to the Stadio Olimpico.

The Belgian defender has found playing time hard to come by since moving to Barcelona from Arsenal in 2014, due to both injuries and the preferred duo of Javier Mascherano and Gerard Pique proving immovable at times.

But after a paltry seven league starts in two years, Vermaelen could be handed an opportunity to leave after confirmation that Roma sporting director Walter Sabatini is in talks with Barcelona over a transfer.

"Walter is working on this deal, although for now we cannot say that it is done," Spalletti told Sky Sport, according to ESPN FC.

In the Italian capital, Vermaelen would provide competition to Antonio Rudiger and Kostas Manolas, the latter of whom has been subject to rumours of interest from Chelsea.

Spalletti added: "Vermaelen is a player with experience and quality. He can build the play from the back and has great character.

"These players are used to playing important European matches."

Spalletti arrived for his second Roma tenure in January and promptly turned the team into a more cohesive and organised unit. That hasn't encouraged him that his defence is fit for the new Serie A season, however, a feeling evident with his loan signing of Federico Fazio from Tottenham Hotspur earlier this week.

The Giallorossi kick off the league campaign against Udinese on Aug. 20.