Both Premier League outfits are keen to purchase a new central defender this summer.
Arsenal have now joined city rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the race to land in-demand Ajax centre-back Joel Veltman for next season, according to reports in the Daily Mirror.
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The highly rated young Netherlands international has been interesting Tottenham for some time now as the north London club look to lure a central defender to White Hart Lane at the end of the campaign.
And Spurs were said to be very confident of being able to persuade Veltman to swap the Amsterdam ArenA for the Lane when the summer transfer window reopened for business due to the close relationship that the two clubs are said to now enjoy after recent transfer dealings involving the purchase of both Ajax defender Jan Vertonghen and playmaker Christian Eriksen.
However, Tottenham may now face stiff competition for the Dutchman’s signature from their arch rivals who themselves are now on the look out for a new centre back with it expected that Gunners skipper Thomas Vermaelen will quit the Emirates come the end of the campaign.
Veltman, 22, is contracted to the Eredivisie champions until June 2018.
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