AS Roma have moved ahead of Liverpool in the race to sign Thomas Vermaelen from Barcelona, according to reports from Gazetta dello Sport.

Vermaelen has endured a very difficult time at Barcelona since his move to the Nou Camp back in the summer of 2014 and it is now widely believed that the Belgian international will be leaving the Spanish giants, especially following the big money summer arrival of Samuel Umtiti.

A return to the Premier League with Liverpool had been seen as a possibility for Vermaelen but now according to reports emerging out of Italy, Roma have edged ahead of the Reds in the race to sign the 30-year-old.