FC Barcelona will make a renewed attempt to sign Hector Bellerín after Saturday’s FA Cup final, and believe they have a clear run at the full-back with Manchester City turning their attention to Kyle Walker.
The Spanish giants will play in their own cup final on Saturday, where they are overwhelming favourites to beat Alavés, and are set to announce Ernesto Valverde as their new coach on Monday.
And Valverde has already given the green light for a revived pursuit of La Masia graduate Bellerín.
Barca have struggled immensely at right-back with converted midfielder Sergi Roberto not repeating his form of last season and Aleix Vidal – Dani Alves’ supposed heir – proving a poor signing.
Bellerín is considered to have the vital ‘Barca DNA’ that those inside the club so cherish, and their exploratory advances for the 22-year-old have not hit the same brick wall that they did last year.
That said, the Nou Camp club are also very aware that if Arsenal dig their heels in then they would have to rely on the player to force a move. Bellerín has six years remaining on a contract signed in the autumn and there is not understood to be a release clause, handing the Gunners all the leverage.
Barcelona’s sporting director, Robert Fernandez, will move early in the window for Bellerín so that the club has time to assess alternatives should Arsenal play hard ball – but there is a belief that the ‘next best’ option after Bellerín represents a significant drop-off in quality. There also exists a fear that, should Alexis Sanchez finalise a move away from north London, that Arsenal will be unwilling to sell the Spanish international defender for fears of uproar among a divided supporter base
Source:www.independent.co.uk