Arsenal full-back Hector Bellerin is reportedly close to securing a return to former club Barcelona. The Spain international has had a mixed campaign at the north London giants with an injury early on in the season denting his progress.
Bellerin, now 22, has been linked with a potential move to Camp Nou for a while, and according to Diario Gol (h/t The Express), the right-back is nearing an agreement over a Barca transfer.
As per the report, the Spanish champions have acted to re-sign their former graduate in the summer after having failed to find a replacement for Dani Alves, who left the club for Juventus last year.
It is added that the player’s arrival could coincide with the contract renewal of Lionel Messi, who has underlined the need to strengthen the club after their quarter-final exit in the Champions League.
Bellerin has not had the best of the campaigns in the Gunners shirt this term, and this has seen him drop to the bench on occasions with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain being preferred for the right wing-back role.
In spite of this, the Spaniard is understood to have a good bond with Gunners boss Arsene Wenger, and the deal could hinder on the future of the long-standing head coach.
An exclusive from The Express has recently suggested that Wenger could stay put for the 2017/18 campaign after his position played a role in luring Schalke’s Sead Kolasinac to the Emirates.
Kolasinac is due to arrive at Arsenal on a free transfer on July 1 following assurances that Wenger will remain at the helm beyond the summer.
Bellerin, who made his Gunners debut during the 2013-14 season, has five years left on his present £120,000 a week contract, which he inked in November 2016.
