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ESPN staff 10y

Vermaelen wants new Wenger deal

Thomas Vermaelen is hopeful Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will sign a new long-term contract with the club.

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Wenger, whose current terms expire in the summer, hinted on Friday that he will put pen to paper on a new deal in the coming weeks.

The Frenchman has been in charge of the Gunners since 1996 and will oversee his 1,000th game when his side take on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday lunchtime.

Vermaelen, who Wenger signed from Ajax in 2009, told the club's official website: "It's incredible -- not a lot of managers do that nowadays because they come in and out so for him to achieve 1,000 games is something unbelievable.

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

"No [there’s no sign of him slowing down] at all. If you see him off the pitch there's always a lot of hunger in him and a lot of ambition still. He's not losing that at all."

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