While North London may be firmly split between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, it seems some bonds refused to be broken by it.
Former Arsenal star Thomas Vermaelen has revealed, to Ajax Showtime, that he and Tottenham hero Jan Vertonghen refused to let it get in their way.
Vermaelen has been speaking to the website about his career today. He discussed various parts of his career, including his early days at Ajax.
He was a product of their youth academy, and that mean he spent time playing with Vertonghen for Jong Ajax. They then stepped up to the Ajax first team.
Their careers went separate ways in 2009 when Vermaelen moved to Arsenal. Vertonghen didn’t end up in England until another three years later, when he joined Tottenham in a €12m deal in 2012. He had actually replaced his friend as Ajax’s first choice and captain after his departure.
Their transfers led to a new scenario, though, playing on opposite teams. Not only that, playing for fierce rivals in Arsenal and Tottenham.
They fortunately only came up against each other twice in the North London derby. And it seems that may have helped with maintaining their friendship.
“We didn’t see each other as rivals and awarded each other the best,” he said.
“It’s obviously a very big derby in England, but Jan and I still saw each other off the field. It’s not that I thought, oh, you’re playing at Tottenham now, I don’t like you as much. It lives mainly with the supporters.”